A man was handed a suspended sentence for damaging a car during a fight that started when the accused told a man's girlfriend she was ugly and was bothering him. 

Anthony McKay, 44, from Valletta was found guilty of damaging the bonnet of a Pajero after being beaten with a hammer. 

Magistrate Miriam Hayman heard how Mr McKay was drinking at a bar with Brian Buhagiar, Alan Gatt and his girlfriend on September 8, 2010. All of a sudden, Mr McKay told Mr Gatt's girlfriend: "You're so ugly". 

The woman walked out of the bar with her boyfriend and Mr Buhagiar. Some time later, Mr Buhagiar called Mr McKay, calling him names and challenging him to fight.

They met in Zabbar and a fight broke out. Mr McKay fractured his arm when he was attacked with a hammer. He was also punched in the face by Mr Gatt. 

During the fight, Mr McKay punched the Pajero's bonnet, causing more than €200 in damage. 

The court heard Mr Gatt and Mr Buhagiar withdraw their criminal complaints against Mr McKay. 

On the remaining charge - voluntary damage - defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi argued that his client punched the bonnet because he was in so much pain. 

However, the court disagreed with this line of defence, saying pain did not justify the damage caused to the car. She jailed the accused for six months suspended for a year.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri prosecuted.