The 51st hearing in the trial against 25 demonstrators charged with looting and ransacking during the Genoa Group of Eight Summit made slow progress. Serious doubt was cast on the prosecution's identification process, while various prosecution witnesses were absent.

The hearings are heading towards summer and, following the exploits at Piazza Alimonda - where Carlo Giuliani was shot dead by police - the stage seems set for an end of season finale well-suited to the humid heat currently gripping Italy.

The 51st hearing was distinctly lacking in significant developments and the only interesting point related to the identification of one of the defendants. This cast serious doubt on techniques used by the Public Prosecutor's Office to identify demonstrators standing trial.

Captain Claudio Cappello, a witness that had promised interesting pickings for the day, was unable to attend. Cappello, who has been involved in Italian "democracy"-exporting operations in Iraq and Somalia among other places, had a front-line role in the Piazza Alimonda events. The Digos security police officers due to testify were also absent.

The only testimony of the morning came from the personnel director of the Brescia post service, who was called on to identify one of the defendants. She has been the first civilian witness in the proceedings following a string of Digos testimonies (the one other civilian called to the stand chose not to respond). The personnel chief was able to say no more than it "seemed" as though the person in the photos she was shown "looked like" the defendant.

She might not be certain, but meanwhile the 25 defendants standing trial can count on one thing: they risk a 25-year jail term on the basis of a decidedly weak identification.

The next hearing will take place in two weeks' time, on June 14.