Soldier gets suspended sentence for brawl

A soldier has been handed a suspended jail term after being convicted of smashing a glass into the face of a woman at a night club.

The brawl followed a argument between  the soldier, Ronnie Mackay, 29, from Ħamrun and Mandy Formosa.

It was alleged that tempers flared inside Tzers nightclub in Paceville when Mr Mackay allegedly touched the woman as he shuffled past near the bar area.

She threw her drink at him and in retaliation he smashed a glass into her face, the court heard.

Ms Formosa admitted in court that during the altercation she could have said too much and that Mr Mackay was actually trying to push past her and did not deliberately touch her.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke noted that in his statement to the police, the accused first admitted to trying to flirt with her while walking towards the toilet  but then he changed his version while testifying.

He said that while on his way to the toilet he felt someone push him and he turned, found the victim and asked her what the matter was. After she told him that he was trying to flirt with her and had touched her she threw her drink at him.

The magistrate said that after taking all the evidence into consideration, including the fact that the accused had changed his versions, the court was led her to believe the version given by the victim that he had smashed the glass into her face.

She also said that she took into consideration the seriousness of the charges and that he had a clean police record.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Mr Mackay.