Two siblings have been cleared of injuring two other siblings during an argument in a Paceville establishment, after the court held that the prosecution had not adequately proven its case.

Bradley and Analise Azzopardi were accused of assaulting Fabio and Valentina Zanghi, who are also siblings, at a club in Paceville in June 2014.

While Mr Zanghi got away with slight injuries, his sister had suffered a broken tooth and initially claimed she needed stitches to her face – an allegation she subsequently withdrew.

Ms Zanghi testified that she had been pushed by Ms Azzopardi, whom she had not known, after she had spotted her arguing with a friend of hers. The two women ended up wrestling each other on the floor.

Ms Zanghi alleged that Mr Azzopardi had smashed a wine glass in her face, knocking out half a tooth in the process. She clarified that she had suffered scratches and not stitches as she had originally claimed.

After being hit in the face with the glass, Ms Zanghi said that her brother had gone to inform the club security staff and the pair had eventually filed a police report.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja noted that Ms Zanghi had failed to mention any injuries inflicted on her by Ms Azzopardi.

Josef Mahouachi, who had been accompanying the Zanghi siblings, had testified to the girls fighting, but the court noted that he had failed to make any mention of the fact that he himself had been involved in an argument with Ms Azzopardi shortly before the incident.

While he had witnessed the fight and seen Ms Zanghi's eventual injuries, he had at no time mentioned seeing Mr Azzopardi assaulting the woman with a glass. This point was also absent from the testimony of the victim's brother, Fabio.

The court remarked that a small cut on the chin and half a tooth being knocked out were not congruous with having a glass smashed to pieces in one’s face.

Noting a string of discrepancies between testimonies, the court held that the charges had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt and cleared the accused.

Police Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted. Lawyers David Camilleri and Joseph Gatt were defence counsel.