Two punched in the face after traffic accident

A man who punched two people in the face during an argument after a car accident was given a suspended jail term.

Paul Debattista, 47, of Tarxien was involved in an accident on July 6, 2003 and, while waiting for the police, his wife got into an argument on the other side of the road with the driver and passengers of the other car, Police Inspector Abraham Zammit testified.

At one point, Mr Debattista decided to intervene and defend his wife after seeing people waving their hands in the air and shouting. He began pushing and fighting the other people and punched Ruth Sammut Casingena and a passenger of the other car, Nicholas Spiteri, in the face, the officer said.

Mr Spiteri suffered a cut to his forehead and Ms Sammut Casingena suffered bruising to her face.

A second passenger, Christian Ransley, was also involved but was not injured.

Testifying, Ms Sammut Casingena said the accident happened in front of her house and she went outdoors to help her friends. She recalled witnessing an argument between her friends and the Debattistas.

She said she had told Mrs Debattista that, judging by the tyre marks on the road, they were to blame for the accident. At this point, Mr Debattista came out of nowhere and punched her in the face and also attacked Mr Spiteri.

Ms Sammut Casingena said she wanted nothing out of the proceedings and withdrew her complaint.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke said she had no doubt about Mr Debattista’s guilt and disagreed with the defence that the man had intervened to defend his wife.

She handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years.