Serbian football fans claim they were “brutally beaten” by officers who also used pepper spray in the police van with them handcuffed inside.

Court expert Mario Scerri told Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit yesterday that the injuries some of them sustained were compatible with being manhandled.

Dr Scerri said one of the accused had injuries compatible with being hit with a truncheon and another was injured in the face, possibly after being kicked.

One man, he said, had swelling on his ribs, with the possibility that he had sustained a fracture. The court ordered X-rays to be taken.

Dr Scerri was testifying in the compilation of evidence against eight Serbian football supporters, a Greek and a Bulgarian over incidents that took place outside the Hibs stadium, in Corradino during the Champions League match between Valletta FC and Partizan Belgrade on July 17.

They are denying violently resisting their arrest, disobeying police orders, threatening the police, invading the pitch and being drunk.

One of them denied slightly injuring a policeman.

But their lawyers, Giannella de Marco and Gianluca Caruana Curran, insisted yesterday that their clients had been manhandled by the police, who used excessive force during their arrest.

“They were brutally beaten by the police, the very same people who are there to see that these things don’t happen. The Commissioner of Police should investigate so he can take action if there are violent people within his force,” Dr de Marco said.

Police Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo said the police were not given the chance to rebut the implications of a request by the defence for the appointment of a medical expert to examine the accused. That was why the police had opposed the request, he said.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves,” Dr de Marco retorted, claiming this was done to buy time so the bruises fade away, with Mr. Bartolo asking the court for “protection”.

The court heard that the incidents were sparked off by a “hitch” in the organisational aspect of the match, whereby Serbian fans, despite having purchased tickets, were not allowed to enter because the entire seating was taken up by Valletta supporters.

One of the accused who was on the perimeter wall, Vladimir Savija, testified that he was placed face down on the gravel, handcuffed and then dragged by officers. He had purchased VIP tickets for €45 but was not allowed in.

He said he saw two Partizan supporters, holding a large banner, who had made their way into the stadium after climbing a perimeter wall. A policeman ordered them down and, on doing so, other policemen handcuffed them and threw them to the ground, the court heard.

More Partizan supporters who were also refused entry tried to force their way through after opening a large gate separating the stadium from an abandoned field but the police managed to push them back.

“We were obviously annoyed when we could not go in. The police arrested us because we complained. We were all placed in a police van and the police used pepper spray before they closed the door. Our eyes were burning and we could barely breathe,” he said.

He added: “We spent 20 hours without being given a glass of water, despite asking for it several times. It was a terrible experience.”

Three of the accused, who were here on holiday and had joined their friends at the match, yesterday decided to plead guilty to be able to leave the island. They were conditionally discharged for three years.

The case continues.

Police pushed back several Partizan fans who tried to get into the Hibs stadium through a gate. Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar