An English-language student from Kazakhstan today pleaded guilty to attacking six of fellow students and threatening them with a 20-cm knife at a Sliema hotel while highly intoxicated yesterday.

Aibek Manapov, 23, was charged with threatening and attacking six students, slightly injuring one of them, carrying a knife out of his hotel room without permission and disturbing public peace.

Prosecuting officer Jonathan Ransley told the court that the student has been in Malta since October and was due to leave in March. However, the accused wished to cut his visit short with immediate effect and return to his country.

The accused was so drunk that a breathalyser test administered well after the man's arrest still registered him as being highly intoxicated, Insp. Ransley added.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech pointed out that the incident could have had much more serious repercussions.

He was remanded in custody and a judgment will be delivered tomorrow.