A 57-year-old man was attacked and seriously injured during his early morning walk in St Julian’s yesterday, police said.

The man, a resident of San Ġwann, had reached St Julian’s Hill, opposite Le Meridien Hotel, when he was assaulted by two men.

Sources said the men started punching the victim as they shouted at him to hand over his money.

They told Times of Malta the men were Arabs, probably Libyans, who fled after they took his wallet.

The man was taken to Mater Dei Hospital and was later certified as suffering from serious injuries.

The incident took place just 15 minutes after an unknown person assaulted a 42-year-old Irishman in St George’s Road, Paceville.

The victim was not injured and nothing was stolen.

Last week, an 18-year-old man had his throat slit during another scuffle in Paceville.

Kleaven Cassar, the teenager’s father, spoke to this newspaper in order make an appeal for stricter police enforcement at Malta’s entertainment hub where, he claimed, foreigners were walking about with pocket-knives, ready to strike up a fight with anyone.

Speaking on Times Talk on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit promised there would be an increased police presence in Paceville as well as other measures, including closed circuit television.