Suspended jail term for angry customer

An angry customer has been given a suspended jail term for seriously injuring a store owner in the face when he hurled a Playstation console he claimed was faulty.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro found Kenneth Caruana, 36, of Tarxien guilty of seriously injuring John Felice, the owner of Felix Electronics in Paola on December 23, 2002.

The magistrate heard how Mr Caruana had bought three Playstation 2 consoles from Mr Felice's shop but when he went home he found that one of the consoles was not working.

Mr Caruana returned to the shop and complained that the console was not reading games he had bought.

When Mr Felice tried out the console at the shop it worked and Mr Caruana went back home with his purchase.

But later that evening Mr Caruana went to Mr Felice's shop again and insisted that the console was not working. An argument ensued and Mr Caruana hurled the console at Mr Felice's face and ran out of the shop.

Mr Felice was injured in the temple and had to have six sutures.

Magistrate Lofaro condemned Mr Caruana's actions as "very serious" and gave him a 18-month jail term suspended for three years.

She also bound him not to approach Mr Felice against a fine of Lm100 in default.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted.