The grounds of self-defence under Maltese criminal law

Abstract

Although the notion of self-defence is not one of recent origin, nevertheless it is one that, strictly speaking, has no history. That this statement holds water can be evidenced by referring to various writers that belong to different epochs. In this regard reference is made, in the first place, to Cicero, who, in an eloquent speech in his defence of Milone. holds that : "Est haec conscripta, sed nata lex. quam non didicimus, accipimum terum ex natura ipsa adripimus, henc simus, exprissimus; ad quam non doti, ad facti." The notion of self defence as established by Maltese jurisprudence is hardly likely to lose any of its well established ingredients. This for the simple reason that the notion of self defence, like that of Natural Law from where it emanates. is universal and the same.