Two bouncers were charged with slightly injuring a French tourist at a Paceville nightclub early Wednesday morning.

Robert Azzopardi, 20, from St Paul’s Bay and Clifford Bugeja, 18, from Birżebbuġa are pleading not guilty to slightly injuring Brahim Beantsou and assaulting him and his friends Rafik Beztout, Kashama Anne Elder and Louise Weddell.

They also denied operating without a licence and breaching the public peace.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja heard that Mr Beantsou and Mr Beztout were with Ms Elder and Louise Weddell, of Scotland, inside Havana when two South African men tried to dance with one of the women.

An argument ensued between the South African men and Mr Beantsou and the bouncers intervened.

Ms Weddell testified that about eight bouncers arrived and “viciously” assaulted Mr Beantsou. She identified Mr Bugeja as the person who punched Mr Beantsou and pulled him to the floor.

Mr Beantsou said that one of the bouncers took him by the hand as another put him in a choke hold position and pulled him down to the floor.

He said it all happened within a few seconds. He said that a bouncer with a goatee punched him on his left eye while Mr Azzopardi punched him on the other. The court granted them bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000 each. Lawyers Josette Sultana and Anne Marie Mangion appeared for the accused.