Suspended jail term for assaulting man

A Birkirkara man was yesterday given a two-year jail term suspended for four years for threatening and assaulting a man and causing more than Lm500 damage to his car.

Joseph Xuereb, 55, pleaded guilty to assaulting Alan Debono, damaging his Fiat Punto and breaching the peace in Birkirkara on March 13, 2001.

On handing down judgment, Magistrate Abigail Lofaro noted that Xuereb had reacted the way he did because he thought that Debono was going to run over his daughter, then 18 months old.

She added that although this did not excuse his behaviour it had to be taken into consideration.

The magistrate also noted that Xuereb had filed a guilty plea, had cooperated with police and had paid for the damage caused.

Police Inspectors Dennis Theuma and Simon Galea prosecuted.