A man was this afternoon conditionally discharged for three years and banned from football stadiums after he admitted assaulting a referee during a youth match between Gzira and Kirkop on Monday evening.

Emanuel Ciantar, 44, from Gzira, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Miriam Hayman to assaulting referee Etienne Mangion, slightly injuring him.

The court heard the incident happened after the referee red carded two Gzira players.

The accused, a Gzira team official, also pleaded guilty to threatening the referee and other officials, using abusive language and breaching the peace.

Magistrate Hayman conditionally discharged him for three years, banned him from going to any football stadium for a year and warned him not to speak to the referee or any of the other officials for a years, with a €1,000 fine in default.

Police Inspector Nicholas Vella prosecuted while lawyer Chris Cilia appeared for the accused.

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