A man was pushed to the ground and punched by five men while trying to speak to his former girlfriend in a Paceville nightclub, a court heard yesterday.

Jason Vella, an Australian Maltese here on holiday, testified that Pierre Caruana, a relative, wanted to speak to his former girlfriend and so grabbed her hand on Saturday morning at about three.

The woman told him to leave her alone and Mr Caruana asked her why. At that point, Andrew Martin, 27, of St Julians pushed Mr Caruana to the ground and punched him, Mr Vella said. Four of Mr Martin’s friends then beat and kicked him, the witness added.

Defence lawyer Joe Giglio asked Mr Vella whether he had seen Mr Caruana grabbing the woman by the neck and the witness replied he had not.

The lawyer asked the witness if this was the first time he had heard it was being alleged that the accused had grabbed his former girlfriend by the neck. Mr Vella replied “it only happened once” and Dr Giglio repeated his question. The witness said he had heard the allegation before when the police had asked him the same thing.

He denied having any knowledge of how the woman had sustained injuries.

The witness said Mr Caruana needed sutures to his head.

Mr Martin is pleading not guilty to seriously injuring Mr Caruana, breaching the peace and violating the conditions of a previous release.

In pleas on bail, Dr Giglio said his client was never actually under arrest but was technically presented under arrest because Mr Vella was due to leave for Australia in the evening.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri granted him bail without any conditions.

Police Inspector Nikolai Sant prosecuted.

Lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran also appeared for Mr Martin.