Two cleared of injuring man in club brawl

Two men were yesterday acquitted of charges of causing serious injury to a man in a fight inside their local boċċi (traditional bowling) club in Luqa.

Adrian Sammut and Allan Galea were cleared of causing serious injury to David Monsigneur after the prosecution failed to prove they were the men who had actually injured him. Mr Monsigneur testified that on the night of July 17, 2004 while inside the club, he was hit with a bottle and was then attacked by six to eight men who had beaten him with a hard object.

Both Mr Sammut and Mr Galea had told the police they witnessed the fight but were not involved. They said they had seen Mr Monsigneur hitting tables, breaking things in the bar and teasing people. He had approached them outside the bar after the fight and assaulted them, the two men said.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli took into consideration Mr Monsigneur's evidence where he had said he had not recognised anyone in the bar. For this reason the court noted that it cannot conclude that it was Mr Sammut and Mr Galea that had caused serious injury to Mr Monsigneur. They were therefore cleared of all charges.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio was defence counsel.