Two Italian men who were allegedly kicked and beaten up by bouncers in Paceville earlier this month insisted in court this morning that there was no motivation behind the fight.

They were testifying in the compilation of evidence against Stephen Catania, 41, of San Ġwann and Bernard Briffa, 25, of Valletta, who stand charged with their attempted murder.

They are also accused of working as private guards without a licence and seriously injuring the two men in the early hours of Valentine's Day. They are pleading not guilty.

The Italians are Luca di Mauro, 27, and Riccardo Miano, 35.

Mr Miano told the Court that he went to Paceville where he met Mr di Mauro. First they went to Fuego and at 2 a.m. they moved on to Clique.

They met some girls and had a drink with them and at one point Mr Catania asked them to leave. Mr Miano said he asked Mr di Mauro to get their jackets from the cloakroom and started going out with him on the front.

He said that outside Mr Catania punched him in the face, he fell and was kicked. He lost consciousness and only came round the next day in hospital.

When asked by his lawyer, Emanuel Mallia, if anything had sparked off this fight Mr Catania said that that there had been nothing to motivate the fight.

Mr di Mauro gave a somewhat similar version of the events.

While Mr di Mauro was giving his testimony a policeman in court noticed that Mr Miano, who was sitting at the back of the courtroom, was recording the proceedings with a camera.

Dr Giglio, who was representing Mr Catania, also notified the court that his colleague Gian Luca Caruana Curran had been insulted by a woman who was sitting next to Mr Miano.

He said he was bringing this to the attention of the court to highlight the type of people being dealt with.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke confiscated the camera.

Investigating officer, Police Inspector Nikolai Sant, also testified this afternoon saying that around 4.30 a.m. a phone call was received at the St Julian’s police station informing the police that a group of security officers were beating up two men outside Clique.

The police were told that two men were on the ground, seriously injured, with faces full blood. Police officers, he said, went on scene and a few minutes later an ambulance took the two men to hospital.

Insp. Sant said that there was a witness, Nicky McDougal, who said she saw the bouncers coming out of Steam night club. She saw the bouncers push the men, drag them along by their feet and kick them.

The police spoke to all security officers at both Steam and Clique but all denied their involvement in the fight.

CCTV footage from different establishments was analysed but no faces were not visible on any of the cameras.

An identification parade was then carried out and the Italians identified the accused.

The case continues.