A Facebook argument between two young women ended up in a physical argument between their boyfriends after one of the men responded to the other's challenge to fight by brandishing a plastic imitation gun.

Simon Desira, 19 from Tarxien, was arraigned in court this morning, charged with handling the fake weapon, causing Daniel Desmond Borg and his girlfriend to fear that violence would be used against them and threatening them. The accused admitted to the charges.

Defence lawyer Jason Azzopardi told the court that the argument had initially erupted on Facebook between the girlfriends of the accused and Mr Borg. Mr Borg challenged the accused to a fight repeatedly, and even threatened the other man's girlfriend. The accused subsequently met him in Santa Lucija, brandishing the fake weapon.

"My client took it seriously because the parte civile threatened his girlfriend. His mistake lies in his decision to take an imitation firearm along with him. But he went to meet the parte civile to understand why he was challenged to fight by someone whom he didn't even know," Dr Azzopardi argued.

"He made a mistake in not filing a police report. But his mistake stops there - he defended himself and he was worried for his girlfriend. He took the threat seriously," the lawyer continued, adding that a criminal complaint will be filed against Mr Borg.

Prosecuting officer Christabelle Chectuti told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli that the accused instantly cooperated and handed the police the imitation gun. He also freely informed the police that he owned a shotgun and was licensed to do so. The police searched his residence and found that the shotgun was duly kept under lock and key, as he was bound to keep it according to law.

Dr Azzopardi appealed for a conditional discharge, pointing out that a previous court presiding over a similar case - which, however, had included an actual firearm - had let off the accused with a conditional discharge.

However, Magistrate Demicoli replied that the law forbade her from handing out a conditional discharge for such charges.

The accused was sentenced to a six month jail term suspended for 18 months and his shotgun licence was suspended for six months.