Convicted of injuring female passers-by
A 39-year-old man punched a woman in the face and injured another as they walked past a bar in Birżebbuġa.
Frank Zahra was handed a 12-month prison term suspended for two years after being convicted of injuring Maroushka Salerno when he punched her in the face and of injuring Susanne Buttigieg.
The incident happened on June 6, 2004 outside a band club in Birżebbuġa.
The two women claimed they had been walking past the club when the accused tripped Ms Buttigieg.
When they confronted him, Mr Zahra threw a glass at her. An argument ensured and he hit out at both women, punching Ms Salerno in the face, splitting her lip, the court heard.
In his statement to the police, Mr Zahra said he had accidentally hit one of the girls as he turned around after he had been sitting on a metal railing, and one of them hit him with her handbag.
He said he pushed her and she tripped because of her high heels and hit her face against a wall.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said the version given by the two women was more credible and had been corroborated by a policeman. In contrast, there were discrepancies in the evidence given by the accused.
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vincent magro
Feb 9th 2010, 17:22
Kieku minflok sena wehel 6xhur peress li l-ewwel darba,nifhima.Imma li ma jehel xejn
(sakemm ma jatix daqtejn ohra f'sentejn)jien ma nifimiex.B'decizjonijiet bhall dawn qed
naghtu messagg hazin li wiehed jista jizbalja u jwegga n-nies bla ma jhallas ghal
ghamilu "peress li jkun l-ewwel darba li wegga n-nies"
Jien m'hinix kontra l-mahfra,imma kontra li wiehed ma jhallasx ghal ghemilu , ghax dan jikreja dizordni fis-socjeta.
Meta min ikun instab hati, johrog il-barra b'sentenza sospiza, il-gudikant ikun qed jara l-interess ta l-agressur li ghax ma jkunx ghamel reat iehor qabel, ma jehilx il-habs sa kemm ma jaghmilx reat iehor f'perjodu stabbilit.
Meta suppost il-gudikant jara l-interess tas-socjeta u jiprotegiha permezz ta sentenza gusta, u qatt ma tista tkun gusta jekk min ghamel hsara ma jhallasx ghaliha bi flus jew habs skont il-kas.
Dan il-principju ghandu jinzamm dejjem u li ghandu jkollu fid-deskrizzjoni tieghu il-gudikant,fil-fehema tieghi, hu li jistabbilixxi l-piena gusta ghax il-gustizzja mhux biss trid issir, imma trid tidher ukoll li qieghda ssir, ghax inkella fejnu d-deterrent biex wiehed ma jaghmilx reat l-ewwel darba?
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 9th 2010, 12:25
Prosit tara li kellhom avvukat tajjeb jiddifendihom u l-interessi taghhom.
Christian Sciberras
Feb 9th 2010, 11:38
One question. What is wrong with people?!
We don't need carnival day[week], it goes on the whole year...
Ramon Casha
Feb 9th 2010, 10:48
Of course, another suspended sentence, giving out the message that punching people in the face is no big deal.
Joe Cassar
Feb 9th 2010, 10:37
Another violent criminal walking away scot-free.
Isn't our system of justice a wonderful thing?
Joe Bartolo
Feb 9th 2010, 10:22
Can someone with knowledge in the area kindly advise whether in cases of suspended sentences, assuming the period of time has elapsed without further incidents, the Good Conduct certificate can still be issued? Or are such incidents entered in a persons criminal record just the same ? Also, is there a time period after which a Good conduct certificate can be issued even if a person has committed a crime ? Just curious !