A man has been jailed for six months for punching Labour MP Joe Sammut in the mouth and threatening him with a knife in a road rage incident.

The incident happened while they were stuck in traffic at the traffic lights in St Andrews at 3pm on November 24.

Joe Sammut MP

Philip Zahra, 43, of Naxxar, was found guilty of slightly injuring Dr Sammut, threatening him, insulting him and being in possession of a knife without a police licence.

Dr Sammut testified that he was on his way to a political activity when Mr Zahra blocked his car at the traffic lights.

Mr Zahra got out of his car brandishing a knife and went up to his (Dr Sammut's) car. Dr Sammut said he told him he was “crazy” to be threatening an MP with a knife and Mr Zahra then punched him in the face , saying “since you are an MP, enjoy it.”  He then drove off.

Dr Sammut told the police that he hit Mr Zahra with his car door when he saw the knife. He did not know Mr Zahra but had noted his licence plate number and filed a police report. 

The police searched Mr Zahra’s car and his Naxxar residence but did not find the knife. Mr Zahra denied being in possession of a knife but told the police that he could have accidentally hit Dr Sammut, but he did not do it on purpose. 

Mr Zahra testified that when he stopped at the traffic lights he saw the car behind him flashing its headlights. The car then pulled over to his left into the bus lane where the angry driver swore at him and told him to move aside and let him drive past.

Mr Zahra said he was verbally provoked and he got out of the car to see why the other person was shouting at him. When he went close, Dr Sammut pulled his jacket through the window. 

Mr Zahra said Dr Sammut pulled him close to the car – he pulled free and got into his vehicle and drove off. He said he did not recognise the driver.

In her judgment, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted that Mr Zahra did not deny punching Dr Sammut. She severely condemned his actions and said the court would never let anyone act like a “cowboy”.

Even though there were conflicting versions of what had happened, Dr Sammut testified calmly about the series of events and described the weapon while Mr Zahra was more focused on dismissing the other witnesses instead of what had happened.

She also noted that Mr Zahra had been given a suspended sentence after being convicted of slightly injuring a warden and damaging his car in 2010. However, he had not learnt his lesson.

She jailed him for six months and fined him €200. She also issued a two-year protection order for Dr Sammut.