Waylon Johnston
Beach attendant, tourists in fight with stones
A beach attendant and a visiting couple ended up in court after they threw stones at each other in a heated argument over a spot on the beach at Għajn Tuffieħa last Thursday.
Briton Michael Hide, 68, and his 33-year-old Belorussian wife are staying at the Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort and are being represented by legal aid lawyer Anthony Cutajar.
The beach attendant, Joseph Coleiro, 49, of St Paul’s Bay, got into an argument with the couple over a spot on the beach which they wanted to occupy but where he wanted to place his sun beds.
The argument escalated and they allegedly ended up throwing stones at each other.
During the arraignment of the three of them yesterday, the Hides pleaded not guilty to throwing stones at Mr Coleiro, threatening him and disturbing the peace.
Mr Coleiro, on the other hand, admitted to slightly injuring Mr Hide, threatening the couple, provoking them and breaching the peace.
Mr Coleiro’s defence lawyer Charmaine Cherrett told the court that her client had apologised to the couple who then told the court that they accepted the apology.
The beach attendant then said he wanted to withdraw the criminal proceedings against the couple.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli conditionally discharged Mr Coleiro for six months.
Police Inspector Edmond Cuschieri prosecuted while lawyer Franco Debono also appeared for Mr Coleiro.
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Jacob Sammut
Sep 26th 2010, 08:17
Remove all beach concessions because sooner or later someone is going to lose his or her head and do the unthinkable. Beaches are public property and no one has any right to appropriate them even with the miser government permission. What is the government waiting for? People to take the law in their own hands and give an unforgettable lesson to these beach concessions cowboys?
L>Farrugia
Sep 25th 2010, 17:12
Il-Ministeru tat-turizmu jonfoq il-belli liri minn flus il-poplu ghal kampanji turistici u ndividwi rresponsabbli qed jaghmlu isem hazin lil Malta. hemm bzonn li l-flus jintefqu fuq l-edukazzjoni tal-individwi li huma direttament jew indirettament involuti fl-industrija, bhal tal-linja, mini buses, pool u beach attendents, kaccaturi, tal-hwienet li jzommu prezzijiet differenti u aktar. Inutli tonfoq fir-riklami ghax l-ahjar messagg iwasslu l-imgarrab. Fl-antik konna nghidu li l-ahjar mezz ta kommunikazzjoni huwa "it-tell-a-woman" ghax din twaslu malajr peres li kienet tqatta hafna hin ghand tal-grocers, tal-haxix, tal-hobs, il-knijsa u postijiet simili fejn ikunhemm hafna nies. Nispera li hadd ma jipprova jinsinwa li qed b'xi mod noffendi n-nisa il-boghoq minn dan.
c. camilleri
Sep 25th 2010, 16:45
This is not an isolated case. Kiosks' owners with beach concession think that they own the whole beach and do not let anyone put his personal umbrella anything near the sea. They just occupy the whole beach with their umbrellas and deckchairs.It is heartening that these two tourists instead of grumbling like the Maltese do defended their rights.
Joe Grima Brussels
Sep 25th 2010, 16:26
Some attendance freely given by a beach attendant! Was he even PAID for 'attending' to this couple??
Peter Murray
Sep 25th 2010, 12:29
Therein lies the perennial problem wherever there are beaches and reinforces the old proverb "where there is land(sand) -there is war".Beach attendants think they are beach OWNERS.Where is the Government Land and Property Divison is all this?
A.Bezzina
Sep 25th 2010, 11:40
I am not surprised. Something very similar happened to us at Ghadira. When we tried reporting the incident to the police, the station at Mellieha was closed.
Jon Shaw
Sep 25th 2010, 11:15
...... ChooseMALTA.com
Charmaine Marmara'
Sep 25th 2010, 09:59
Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone.......kif spiccajna aw malta ukol !!!!