A University assignment that went terribly wrong

A 33-year-old University student who punched an 18-year-old colleague after an argument over an assignment was yesterday given a suspended jail term.

Gordon Borg, now 38, had worked in a group on an assignment with Ian Coleiro, now 24-years-old. However, according to Mr Coleiro, the only work Mr Borg had done was to drive the group to a fieldwork session. Mr Coleiro, thus, refused to include Mr Borg's name on the collective assignment.

Then, on May 11, 2004, when the two were walking near the University roundabout, Mr Borg went up to Mr Coleiro and punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Mr Borg gave a different version of events, placing the blame on Mr Coleiro, who, he said, produced a pen knife and tried to punch him. Mr Borg said he punched Mr Coleiro in self-defence.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani said that, from the evidence produced, the victim was more credible than the accused, describing Mr Borg's version as "practically ridiculous and pathetic".

The magistrate also pointed out that Mr Borg practised martial arts and this had played a part in the way he had attacked Mr Coleiro.

The magistrate found Mr Borg guilty of seriously injuring Mr Coleiro and handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four.