Conditional discharge

A St Julian's man was yesterday conditionally discharged for three years for slightly injuring a man.

Aaron Abela, 25, was found guilty of injuring Raymond Mallia and breaching the peace in St Andrew's on June 27, 1998, but was cleared of damaging Mallia's car.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro heard Abela explain that he was driving near Jessie's Bar in St Andrew's when Mallia, who was driving behind him, braked suddenly and when he looked back he saw Mallia make obscene signs.

Abela said he got out of his van and walked to Mallia's car, Mallia went for him and they started fighting. Abela denied hitting Mallia's car.

But Mallia said that Abela started hitting him when he was still in the car and that although he did not see Abela hit his car onlookers had told him that he had.

Police Superintendent Martin Bayliss prosecuted.