Two bouncers who allegedly assaulted and slightly injured a French tourist were today granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000 each.

The tourist was injured when the bouncers intervened in an argument at Havana nightclub, in Paceville, in the early hours of yesterday.

Robert Azzopardi, 20, from St Paul's Bay and Clifford Bugeja, 18, from Birżebbuġa, are pleading not guilty to slightly injuring Brahim Beantsou, assaulting Mr Beantsou and his friends Rafik Beztout, Kashama Anne Elder and Louise Weddell. They also denied operating without a licence and breaching public peace.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja heard how Mr Beantsou and Mr Beztout, both French were with their Scottish friends Ms Elder and Ms Weddell when two South African men tried to dance with one of the women.

An argument ensued between the South African men and Mr Beantsou when the bouncers intervened.

Taking the witness stand, Ms Weddell said some eight bouncers bouncers arrived and “viciously” assaulted Mr Beantsou. She identified Mr Bugeja as the person who punched Mr Beantsou and pulled him down to the floor.

Mr Beantsou said that one of the bouncers took him by the hand while another put him in a choke hold position and pulled him down to the floor.

He said that a bouncer with a goatee punched him in his left eye while Mr Azzopardi punched him in his right eye.

Lawyers Josette Sultana and Anne Marie Mangion represented the accused.