The Romanian man convicted last month for causing the death of a Sudanese man in Paceville in 2012 has appealed his conviction, claiming that the first court misinterpreted the law and failed to explain his plea of self-defence to the jurors.

Antonel Dobre, 29, is serving seven years in jail for the death, though a panel of jurors found he had been provoked when he pushed the victim.

Mr Dobre was found guilty by a jury of causing the death of Osama Al Shazliay Saleh on March 17, 2012, having hit him in the face. Mr Saleh fell to the ground, hit his head, suffered a brain haemorrhage and died three days later.

Mr Dobre claimed Mr Saleh had elbowed his Romanian friend in the nose while they were at a Paceville club and he was protecting the friend when Mr Saleh approached them again outside later.

The judge failed to explain to jurors the legal elements that make up Mr Dobre’s claim of self-defence

His lawyer, Roberto Montalto, claimed that the judge’s summing up did not satisfy the requirements laid down in the law and therefore requested the Appeals Court to overturn the guilty verdict or reform the sentence.

Dr Montalto argued that the presiding judge, Antonio Mizzi, had misinterpreted the law on excusable offences.

Moreover, the lawyer claimed, Mr Justice Mizzi failed to explain to jurors the legal elements that make up Mr Dobre’s claim of self-defence.

He insisted that not only were there elements of legitimate self-defence, but that the punishment meted out was excessive and did not take into account the extensive submissions by the defence.

He therefore called on the Appeals Court to cancel the verdict and reform the sentence – finding Mr Dobre not guilty of the charges brought against him.