Two brothers were yesterday charged with breaking down their neighbour’s front door after he asked them to turn the volume down three times when they were playing loud music on Sunday night.

The men, Richard Muscat, 19, and his brother Carlo, 18, became angry when the man, Frances Ebejer, 60, thrice asked them to turn the volume down, police sources said. In retaliation, the sources added, the men banged on his door inside the block of flats in St Julians where they live with their grandmother.

They allegedly smashed the door down, entered the flat and got into an argument with Mr Ebejer, who called the police.

On arrival the police found a frightened 10-year-old relative of Mr Ebejer waiting at the main door of the block.

Standing in the dock with yellowing, bleached blond hair, the two youths pleaded not guilty to breaking down the door, slightly injuring Mr Ebejer, trespassing, threatening him and breaching the peace.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit said she would grant the men bail only if they could provide an alternative address to live, so they would be kept away from the alleged victim.

The men said they could live with their uncle but the magistrate said she wanted confirmation from him. She was not about to oblige anyone to look after them as they were old enough to fend for themselves.

After a short postponement, defence lawyer Leslie Cuschieri told the court that he had tried to contact the uncle and that he wanted to retract his plea for bail and reserve the right to ask for it at the next sitting.

The magistrate remanded the two men in custody.