Paceville businessman Hugo Chetcuti was one of 23 people charged over November's incident which left scores injured when a glass railing gave way at the PlusOne club in Paceville.

Mr Chetcuti and Francis Grima, as directors of Three Sixty Limited, together with licensee Carlo Schembri and manager Jonathan Grima were charged with causing a number of people grievous injuries due to carelessness and by not observing regulations.

Mr Grima did not appear in court this morning because he is currently abroad, the court was told.

They were charged with operating an establishment which provided food without the necessary licence from the Malta Tourism Authority, with failing to provide a safe environment and failing to carry out the necessary health and security checks.

Other charges include failing to provide and maintain adequate emergency exits as well as failing to ascertain that the establishment was equipped with fire extinguishers.

They were also accused with neglecting to observe the detailed standards relating to bars and nightclubs, failing to notify the Employment and Training Corporation regarding engaging an employee and with employing private bouncers without a licence.

The four men, together with manager Mark Azzopardi, also stand charged with allowing youngsters below 17 years of age to enter the club, of selling them alcohol and cigarettes and with allowing smoking to take place indoors.

Stephen Ciangura and his mother Teresa, who own Executive Security Services Limited, was charged with employing a bouncer who did not possess a licence and without informing the ETC.

Bojan Spasic, 22 of Serbia, who did not appear in court since he was not located, stands charged with acting as a private bouncer without being duly licensed, with causing grievous bodily harm to several people through imprudence, carelessness and non-observance of regulations and of smoking in an enclosed area.

Bartenders Clayton Camilleri, 29, and Vanessa Farrugia, 19, stand charged with providing minors with alcohol.

Zach Latif, 18, and Andre Bugeja, 17, who, according to the magisterial inquiry, sparked off the incident with a brawl, stand charged with causing various people grievous injuries by not observing the law and breaching public peace. Mr Latif stands charged with using a prohibited substance.

Bouncers Mark Dimech, Russell Vassallo, Emanuel Catania, Roderick Caruana, Tyson Grech (who failed to appear in court and was slapped with a €500 fine), Christian El Ichati, Wayne Catania, Constantine Borg and Sammy Grima stand charged with working without a licence.

Mr Catania, Mr Borg and Mr Grima, together with Noel Agius and Renard Tabone, stand charged with allowing minors access to the club.

According to the magisterial inquiry, the incident started when an argument broke out between Andre Bugeja and Zach Latif inside the club. At some point, Mr Latif used the pepper spray, sparking a fight.

Upon noticing the commotion, a security person inside the club urged the revellers to leave but the bouncers at the door were not aware of this and stopped people from going out to protect a number of patrons who had fallen to the ground while rushing down the stairs.

As a result, panic-stricken clubbers could not move from the staircase and at one point the 2cm-thick glass banister gave way, bringing down with it dozens of youths, falling a considerable height.
Fourteen people suffered serious injuries, including two young women who were admitted to hospital in a critical condition but have since got better.

One of the victims nearly suffocated due to the excessive pressure exerted on her chest during the stampede. The second case involved deep lacerations caused by the glass banister, which caused the victim to lose huge amounts of blood.

Another 48 people suffered slight injuries and 47 clubbers were directly affected by the pepper spray.

Inspectors Elton Taliana, Saviour Baldacchino and James Grech are prosecuting.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Joe Giglio, Antonio Depasquale, Toni Abela, Steve Tonna Lowell, Joe Brincat are defending the accused while Kathleen Grima is appearing parte civile for two of the victims. Magistrate Ian Farrugia is presiding over the case.

Dr Giglio pointed out that the defence had not intended to ask for more time but pointed out that the defence was not shown the results of the inquiry, unlike the prosecution.

The case continues on April 8.

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