Acquitted of selling alcohol to minor

The owner of a Marsascala confectionery has been cleared of selling a bottle of vodka to a minor who ended up in hospital after drinking all of it.

Stephan Barbara, 30, of Fgura was acquitted of selling alcohol to minors from Piu Dolce Confectionery and causing a young man to suffer serious injuries through his negligence on July 29.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke heard how a young man ended up in hospital after drinking a bottle of vodka. Two of the young man's friends had testified that they went with him to buy alcohol from a Marsascala shop then went to drink on the beach. They explained how the young man then lost consciousness after drinking lots of vodka and was taken to hospital.

But the magistrate noted that none of the witnesses, including the accused, was able to recall the name of the shop from where they bought the alcohol. Moreover, the prosecution had failed to produce evidence that the boy was a minor.

Police Inspector Alexander Grech prosecuted.

Lawyer Robert Abela appeared for Mr Barbara.