Fishermen confess to hijacking car after fight

Three French fishermen yesterday admitted in court they threw a female driver out of her car and then hijacked the vehicle to escape after they were involved in a fight at a St Julians' bar on Wednesday night.

Gerard Chalaca, 32, Martial Raphael Lubrano, 22, and Jerome Edouard Maurice Raynaud, 20, pleaded guilty to slightly injuring Felix Barbara and Kenneth Camilleri, hurling hard objects and damaging a car during the fight.

The men, who work on the >vessel Khandill II, also admitted to holding Rita Coleiro against her will, stealing her Volkswagen Polo and damaging another two cars and street furniture as well as Ms Coleiro's car when they escaped from the scene of the fight in the stolen car.

The three men were given a two-year jail term suspended for four years.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano also fined Mr Chalaca Lm400 while Mr Lubrano and Mr Raynaud were fined Lm300 each.

Police Inspectors Geoffrey Azzopardi and Carmelo Abdilla prosecuted.

Lawyers Cedric Mifsud and Francesco Depasquale appeared for the fishermen.