Two Gozitan brothers who operate a boat taking tourists to Comino have been acquitted of slightly injuring a competitor who a magistrate deemed inconsistent.

Joseph Xuereb, 31, and his 35-year-old brother, Loretu, both from Għajnsielem, got into an argument with Edward Buttigieg on August 14, 2010 at about 12.30 p.m.

The spat was about a group of tourists who, according to the younger brother, had said they would take the Xuerebs’ ferry to Comino. They told him that they would park their car and return. He waited for them but when they did not turn up, he went to look for them and found them in the car park near a kiosk.

When he approached the tourists, Mr Buttigieg appeared out of nowhere and started pushing him, accusing Joseph Xuereb of taking his business away.

Mr Xuereb admitted to pushing Mr Buttigieg to defend himself and during the fight Mr Buttigieg fell backwards and hit a pole.

Mr Xuereb insisted that his older brother was never involved in the argument.

Mr Buttigieg said that Joseph Xuereb hit him with a VHF radio, which caused injuries to his face and damaged one of his teeth so badly that he needed an implant.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli noted inconsistencies in the account given by Mr Buttigieg. He first said that the older of the two brothers had attacked him only to retract it and say that Loretu Xuereb was never involved.

He then changed his version again, saying that the younger brother never actually attacked him but it was the older one who did.

The magistrate noted that the accused had remained consistent in their account of the incident while the victim was not credible.