The Rabat Labour Party club fight that left one man in intensive care started when the girlfriend of another began flirting with a patron of the bar, a court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Sarah Magri testified that investigations into the February 17 fight revealed how Shirley Camilleri, who was dancing in the club, began to flirt with Christian Gauci who was with his brother Nicholas.

Ms Camilleri’s boyfriend, Ivan Attard, who was with another man, Alfio Attard, took offence and assaulted Christian Gauci. It was then that the accused, Kenneth Micallef, 25, of Dingli, got involved.

Mr Micallef told police that Ivan Attard had tried to hit him with a bottle but he managed to knock it out of his hand and punched the accused twice squarely in the face.

He added that he could recall someone kicking the victim outside on the floor.

The victim was rushed to hospital where he was found to be in danger of losing his life and spent a few days in intensive care.

The couple that run the bar, Maria and her husband Herbert Vassallo, told police that the accused had thrown the victim against a cigarette machine and at one point the victim was on his knees in front of Mr Micallef.

The couple, who were meant to testify in court, decided not to do so for fear of incriminating themselves and because Ms Vassallo stands charged with causing slight injury in separate proceedings.

The case continues.