The police ignored a serious injury case for four months before action was taken and the matter partially resolved in court yesterday.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia wanted to know why two men were arraigned under arrest for seriously injuring each other when the fight took place in early May.

Police Inspector Joseph Busuttil said he was not the investigating officer; he simply had the file handed to him and he took the decision to get the ball rolling.

He said the fight between Bulgarian Mariyan Enchev, 27, and Clevion Micallef, 32, both from St Paul’s Bay, happened at the Black and White bar in Buġibba on May 4. Mr Enchev had helped himself to lemonade from behind the bar and Mr Micallef, as the manager and fully licensed security guard, asked security personnel to escort him out, the inspector said.

Lawyer Charmaine Cherrett, appearing for Mr Enchev, said he would be pleading guilty to seriously injuring Mr Micallef and asked the magistrate to take into consideration that the case had been ignored by the police for so long.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, for Mr Micallef, said his client was contesting the charge of causing serious injury to Mr Enchev and requested bail. He was released against a personal guarantee of €10,000.

Mr Enchev received a three-month jail term suspended for one year.