Elderly Resident Found Barricaded In Fgura Care Home Bathroom After Attack

An elderly man who was violently attacked by his care home roommate in October was found locked inside a bathroom, with a desk pushed against the door to trap him,…

An elderly man who was violently attacked by his care home roommate in October was found locked inside a bathroom, with a desk pushed against the door to trap him, a magisterial inquiry has revealed.

The inquiry also noted that the aggressor had threatened a nurse with a knife three months earlier, and medical staff had advised that he should be placed in a single room, according to the report seen by Times of Malta.

The inquiry, led by Magistrate Joseph Mifsud into the death of 89-year-old Giuseppe Perini, concluded last week and highlighted significant safety lapses at Dar San Ġużepp residential home in Fgura. However, it found no criminal liability on the part of staff or administration, noting that they had acted professionally and did all they could to save Perini’s life.

Perini, who suffered from dementia, died on 28 October, two weeks after the alleged attack by his roommate, 80-year-old Joseph Muscat, who also had severe dementia.

A troubling history concerning Muscat’s placement emerged during the investigation. A medical evaluation in August had recommended that he be moved to a closed ward for dementia patients, following an incident in which he allegedly threatened a nurse with a knife. Despite this, he continued to share a room with another resident.

The attack occurred in the early hours of 14 October. Staff testimony revealed that a carer found Perini locked in the ensuite bathroom, with a desk blocking the door. He was discovered terrified, bloodied, and covered in bruises, and was returned to his bed.

A medical examination detailed extensive injuries, including bruising on his face, temples, forehead, cheeks, lower jaw, elbows, eyes, chest, back, and ribs, a swollen and bruised nose, a wound on his lip, and dried blood in both nostrils.

Muscat, found awake in bed, was “calm and cooperative” but had no recollection of the incident. He also had superficial scratches and a bruise. No security cameras were present in the area.

Although Perini’s injuries were initially classified as slight, his condition worsened, with blood tests showing acute severe kidney inflammation among other complications, leading to his death two weeks later at Mater Dei Hospital.

Psychiatrist Joe Cassar testified that Muscat’s severe dementia rendered him incapable of criminal intent and unfit to stand trial. The magistrate concluded that Muscat could not understand the wrongfulness of his actions or choose whether to harm the victim.

The case became public when Perini’s wife filed a judicial protest against the home’s operators, alleging failure of duty of care by housing her husband with an aggressive resident.

The magistrate described the case as “unfortunate,” noting that Perini’s age and condition complicated attempts to save him. He recommended measures to safeguard patients and staff in care homes housing people with dementia, citing systemic infrastructure shortcomings.

The inquiry emphasised that dementia can lead to aggressive behaviour, and inadequate preparedness for such cases can pose serious risks to both patients and staff.

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