Suspended jail term

Two men were yesterday jailed for eight months suspended for two years after they were found guilty of causing mayhem at a bar in Marsascala.

Anthony Desira, 58, and Manweli Camilleri, 63, were found guilty of causing damage to Morning Star Bar & Restaurant in St Thomas Bay when they broke bottles and threw chairs at the bar.

They were also found guilty of breaching the peace.

A third man, John Giardina, who was originally accused of the same charges, was acquitted.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard that on August 1, 2004 at about 6 p.m. an argument broke out between Mr Desira, also known as Iċ-Ċenteżmu, and Mr Camilleri, known as Is-Saħħar, and Mr Giardina tried to calm the situation down.

After the fight had escalated, the owner of the bar threw a tear gas canister to where the men were standing in an attempt to relieve the situation.

During the incident, 14 large glass windows were broken and Mr Giardina, together with Mr Desira, were injured.

All three men were acquitted of assaulting each other and using obscene language.

They were ordered to pay €599.20 (Lm257.16) in damages to the bar owner.

Police Inspector Anthony Cassar prosecuted.

Lawyers Emy Bezzina, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Franco Debono and Charmaine Cherrett appeared separately for the accused.