Brothers barred from entering football grounds

Two brothers were given a suspended jail term and banned from entering any football stadium for a year after they admitted to assaulting two men during celebrations marking the promotion of the Hamrun football team to the Premier League.

Marco Cassar, 33, and his 21-year-old brother Claudio, both of Hamrun, were given a one-year jail term suspended for two years after they pleaded guilty to assaulting Sandro Cauchi and Thomas Pellikano, slightly injuring Mr Pellikano and seriously injuring Mr Cauchi in Hamrun, on May 12.

They also admitted to threatening, assaulting and failing to follow police orders and breaching the peace.

On handing down judgment, Magistrate Doreen Clarke noted that the brothers had filed an early guilty plea and had cooperated with the police. She, however, noted that this was not the first time they had been convicted for a similar offence.

The magistrate said she would give them a last chance to realise that such behaviour was not acceptable. She gave them a suspended jail term and banned them from entering any football stadium, or attend any celebrations connected with football, for a year.

She also ordered that they do not approach the two victims, or their families, for a year against a Lm500 fine in default.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.

Lawyers Chris Balzan and José Herrera were defence counsel.