[attach id=235612 size="large"]The Barrakka lift. Photo: Chris Sant
Fournier[/attach]

A German man who on Sunday refused to pay the €1 fee to use the Upper Barrakka lift in Valletta was punched in the face by the guard in charge of collecting the money.

“He hurled insults against Malta and the Maltese people and provoked my client,” the guard’s lawyer Josè Herrera said, adding that 45-year-old Mario Antonelli reacted to the insults as a patriotic citizen.

Dr Herrera said the victim also argued he paid quite enough tax in Malta.

This version was disputed by the man who was punched, Michael Mertsch, the chief technology officer at GO mobile.

Dr Mertsch appeared in court with a bandage across his right eye, which was severely swollen and bruised. His blue spectacles, costing some €350, were broken in half, Police Inspector Kylie Borg told the court.

Magistrate Carol Peralta, handling one half of the broken pair, said he found it “ridiculous” that the glasses cost that much and asked Dr Mertsch to take an oath and vouch for the value.

In justifying the cost, Dr Mertsch said the spectacles were hand-made in France and also included special lenses.

At this point, Dr Herrera handed Dr Mertsch the money to cover the cost and told the magistrate that his client would be admitting to the charges of causing serious injury and assaulting Dr Mertsch. Inspector Borg said Dr Mertsch had admitted to the police that he refused to pay. Mr Antonelli, he added, cooperated with the police.

Magistrate Peralta deferred the case for Wednesday saying that he wanted to view the CCTV footage of the incident before sentencing. Mr Antonelli was granted bail against no conditions.