A man who stabbed an immigrant seven times was yesterday jailed for the maximum of four years after jurors returned a guilty verdict following two-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

Emmanuel Pace, 43, of Marsa, was acquitted of the more serious charge of attempted murder but found guilty by seven votes to two of causing serious injury and illegally carrying a knife.

Despite this being the most recent conviction on his 10-page criminal record dating back to 2008, he was not charged with relapsing and stood to be jailed for four years at most. Mr Pace stabbed Ismael Obasa Hussein at around 3.30 a.m. on May 22, 2008 after an argument at the Nationalist Party club in Marsa.

In his police statement, the accused denied stabbing Mr Hussein but admitted to punching him twice because, he claimed, the victim was in a fight and he tried to break it up.

The victim, however, testified that he saw another immigrant being beaten up outside the bar and ran to the police station to try and report it. As he was ringing the door bell the accused started stabbing him and he pleaded with him to stop.

In submissions on punishment, prosecuting lawyer Maurizio Cordina said he was asking Mr Justice Michael Mallia to hand down a maximum of four years especially after taking into consideration the accused’s voluminous criminal record. He added that Mr Pace had convictions for theft, drugs and making threats.

In rebuttal, defence lawyer Malcolm Mifsud said his client had not been charged with relapsing so the maximum jail term could not increase.

He asked the judge to consider the fact that Mr Pace was on a drug rehabilitation programme and had already spent significant time at Mount Carmel Hospital.