Three men were yesterday ordered to pay over €21,000 in damages to a man they had attacked in Paceville five years ago.

Adrian Agius, who had suffered a permanent disability in the attack, sued Steve Magro, Malcolm Buttigieg and Dylan Muscat for damages. He said they attacked him while in a bar in Paceville in April 2010.

They had been taken to the Magistrates’ Court and charged with causing Mr Agius grievous bodily harm and pleaded guilty but contested the victim’s civil action for damages.

Mr Justice Anthony Ellul said the court could not ignore the admission made by all three men before the Magistrates’ Court. It was therefore clear that the men were liable towards Mr Agius for the damages he had sustained.

The court-appointed medical expert testified that Mr Agius had suffered serious injuries and had been in a critical condition but he had luckily made a recovery and was now suffering from a five per cent permanent disability.

After taking Mr Agius’s income into consideration, the judge awarded him €21,168 in damages.