Violence cannot be tolerated, judge insists

A mechanic, who was originally jailed for eight months for threatening and assaulting three men and damaging a car, had his jail term reduced to five months after an appeal court cleared him of relapsing.

The Magistrates' Court had found Paul Abela guilty of the charges but Abela appealed claiming that, among other things, the jail term handed down was excessive. Mr Justice David Scicluna, presiding over the Appeal Court, analysed the case and ruled that the prosecution had not exhibited anything to prove that Abela was a relapser.

The judge cleared Abela of the charge. He however noted that evidence showed that Abela was hot tempered and had to learn, once and for all, that violence cannot be tolerated.