Mark Micallef
Maltese soldiers guilty of damaging hotel but cleared of causing injury
The incident took place in Mytilene, Lesbos.
Two young Maltese soldiers have been found guilty of damaging their hotel room on the Greek island of Lesbos while they were serving on a Frontex mission early in 2010.
The soldiers, whose names have not been released, were both given suspended sentences and ordered to pay €400 in court charges.
However, they were acquitted of seriously injuring a group of locals during a late night brawl outside My Club in Mytilene, and of illegally carrying weapons which consisted of batons and pepper spray.
Three of their colleagues who were also charged were acquitted on all charges.
The case was made public by Frontex, rather than the Armed Forces of Malta, on March 16, 2010, when it condemned the incident and said it was concerned about the behaviour of the five soldiers.
A local daily newspaper in Lesbos had reported that the Maltese soldiers had gone back to beat the doormen and patrons of the club after two of their colleagues had been kicked out earlier “in a drunken state”.
The AFM defended its men after launching an inquiry and said they were acting in self-defence. It refuted claims in the Greek media that they had beaten up locals with batons and used pepper spray on them after two of the soldiers were kicked out.
The army said the two soldiers were attacked by locals for no apparent reason. One of the Maltese soldiers managed to leave the club and called three colleagues to help their colleague, who was still inside.
In court the soldiers denied the serious injury charge, pointing out that the alleged victims had not pressed charges against them.
They were also acquitted of the illegal possession of weapons after the Frontex official responsible for the mission in Greece testified they were authorised to carry the weapons in their vehicle.
A Greek coastguard official also testified that the weapons stayed in the vehicles.
However, two of the soldiers were found guilty of damaging the hotel Orfeas, where they had beenstaying.
The local press criticised the judge and the prosecution, arguing that the sentence was too lenient.
The owner of the hotel could not be contacted yesterday. However, when the case first came to light in March, a receptionist had toldThe Times the soldiers had caused trouble at the hotel throughout their stay.
“We had another group of soldiers but we did not have anyproblems with them. These guys were trouble from the start,” the receptionist said. A spokesman for the AFM confirmed the conviction of the two soldiers but would not release their names.
He said the officers would have an official copy of the sentence delivered to them in writing from the Greek authorities in the near future.
“Once HQ AFM is in official receipt of the findings in writing (they are in Greek), the two individuals found guilty of damage to property will be dealt with internally in line with standard procedures extant within the Armed Forces of Malta,” the spokesman said.
The Sunday Times also asked why the AFM had accepted the soldiers’ version following its inquiry but no response was forthcoming by the time the newspaper went to print.
The men were represented by Greek lawyer George Petrellis and Edward Gatt.
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Mr Mike Lee Borg
Jun 6th 2011, 03:41
Its just past 3am and I've just finished my shift as a bartender at one of the local bars/discotheques in Paceville. As many may know the British navy is presently in Malta. I've seen over 30 stopovers i the past few years and i must say i have never been more appalled then at what I've witnessed tonight. Ive seen these young men sexually harass women! At one point during the night four of them lined up on the balcony of a club opposite and proceeded to urinate into pint glasses in full view of everybody. At about 1 am six soldiers (or sailors or whatever they're called) climbed onto the dancing box and striped completely nude, while at the same time continued shouting profanities at the people in the bar. When security showed up they multiplied in numbers and tried to pick a fight. Don't these people have some form of supervision? also where were the police?! It's times like these i'm ashamed to be half Brit!
Mr M Briffa Viva malta
Jun 5th 2011, 10:37
Boys will be Boys, this brings memories when the British navy & the British army where stationed in Malta (never again)!!! the trouble these guys used to cause and the damage when they had a belly full of local beer was unbelievable, many a time the matloes used to pick fights with the Maltese just for the sake of it,many a time we used to hear the racist words Wogs and black heads, felt ashamed sometimes to work with them. i guess what our Maltese lads have done in Greece is trivial although its stupid but then again as i say there are two sides to the story, and beer and alchol seems to take the lead.
Mr M Briffa Viva malta
Jun 5th 2011, 10:45
I say ol'cap trhe Maltese are not angels either, try and come to Soho in London then you will know what i am talking about .
Mr P Bonnici
Jun 5th 2011, 12:08
I wonder if AFM soldiers get away with this behaviour in Malta.
By the way no such thing happens in Soho any more Mr Briffa. Soho is very safe nowadays it is heavily patrolled. Soho is popular with up-market crowds and gays.
Tony Berkeley
Jun 5th 2011, 14:26
You mean to say that we have learnt nothing more than those rough Brit's bad habits of getting drunk and fighting with every one. The British armed forces do no longer condemn such behaviour and normally the servicemen are considered to be ambassadors of their country and if they misbehave they are punished -- not just with a suspended sentence. One would think for a small island it would be in our favour to project a good behaviour and to proclaim how we deal with those who did not comply. The lager louts in the UK as not considered to be great guys any more but showing off the 'lower' quality of the male in our community. One can get drunk occasionally, but if one breaks the rules one should be harshly dealt with.
Mr Tony Gatt
Jun 5th 2011, 15:10
Mr. P. Bonnici,
When I first moved to England many years ago I used to keep quiet about being Maltese as the Maltese had a terrible reputation in Soho as being pimps and brother-keepers.
I'm glad it's gone upmarket now!
wendy isaac
Jun 5th 2011, 19:30
Yes things have changed since the 60's in the london area, but unfortunitly the stigma is still there, and when one mentions the word Maltese, instantly Soho strip joints comes to mind, however in time all this bad reputations will disapear in thin air .
Mr M Briffa Viva malta
Jun 5th 2011, 19:42
Mr.Berkely you brought up a good point there sir, including the lager louts being the lower class of British society, and i believe also that i was told once when i was studing in the UK, at the time many young blokes walking about with very short hair cuts hence the term skin heads as they were called, is actualy deemed to be now none other then a POOR MAN'S HAIRCUT so i gueSs the larger louts and the skin heads do go hand in hand as the lower class in BritIsh society. i have never seen any skin heads in Malta unless i've been walking about with my eyes shut. i just like to know where these two young Maltese AFM serviemen wearing their uniform at the time? that would shed a different light on the matter, where as the British service men that were in Malta before they were kicked out wore their uniforms at all times.
Mr Jimmie Rowe
Jun 5th 2011, 20:05
Excusse me budding in MR.Viva Malta, but what makes you think that we were Kicked Out as you bluntly put it, we actually left the island with mutual agreement to our advantge and your disadvantage because alot of your people lost their jobs working with our forces. Good Day to you Sir.
Mr Slim Bartolo
Jun 5th 2011, 20:33
I think what Mr.Briffa is trying to say is if people don't pay their way then the alternative is to leave, thats with everything else in this world, there is no such thing as a free lunch, and if others are willing to pay more then you've got your answer.
Mr Tony Gatt
Jun 6th 2011, 07:48
@ Mr. Jimmie Rowe
The sting in the tail of that story is the the Maltese Government steals their Civil Service pension!