Two brothers were remanded in custody yesterday after they denied assaulting a relative of the older one’s girlfriend.

Francis Bugeja, 27, from Fgura, and his 19-year-old brother Tyson, from Vittoriosa, pleaded not guilty to attempting to seriously injure Yurgen Gauci in a brawl in Żebbuġ on Monday evening.

They were also accused of being in possession of a sharp, pointed instrument during the crime.

The court heard the alleged victim is the brother of a woman who is dating Francis Bugeja, who was injured during the fight and had to be hospitalised. He appeared in court with his arm in a sling and was also accused of breaching bail conditions in a different case where he had deposited €500 and made a €10,000 personal guarantee.

Tyson Bugeja had also been granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000 in a separate case presided over by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona. They were both further charged with relapsing and breaching conditions of previous releases.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia denied bail. Police Inspector Kylie Borg prosecuted while lawyers Franco Debono and Angie Muscat appeared for the men.