A Greek-born bouncer employed by Sinners in Heaven of Paceville, was today found not guilty of having seriously injured a patron, Alan Farrugia during an incident on October 12, 2003.
Williams Dionisiios Angelos Corito, 32, had also been accused of breaching the public peace and violating the conditions of a previous release.
The court noted that Mr Farrugia had been in the Paceville establishment with three friends. Suddenly one of the friends was ordered out by a security official. As Farrugia asked what had happened, another security official, who he indicated as being the accused, struck him on his back and head. He was then carried out and allegedly beaten further by the accused.
Sinclair Sammut and Clayton Felice, who were friends of Mr Farrugia, testified that Mr Farrugia was drunk and had fallen to the floor. Mr Felice said Farrugia had hugged the barman and one of the security officers. Both fell onto the floor and then Farrugia was carried out and lost consciousness.
Sarah Micallef, who was an independent witness, said she had seen a fight in the establishment. She saw a bouncer pushing a man who appeared to be drunk. As he was pushed, the man fell heavily on the ground. He got up and went up to the bouncer again, and was struck a heavy blow on the head. She heard his head smash onto the floor. Since she was a nursing student, she tried to help the man. The witness did not identify the accused as having been the bouncer involved.
Dr Jonathan Joslin said Mr Farrugia had a fructured skull pressing on the brain, which were compatable with blunt trauma or a fall. Punches did not usually cause this sort of injuries. Mr Farrugia was treated at the ITU for serious injuries.
Dr Michael Sammut, a toxicologist, said Mr Farrugia was under the heavy influence of alcohol.
The court said the evidence was not consistent as to how Alan Farrugia got hurt. It was only Mr Farrugia who was claiming that the accused had injured him, and his own friends had not corroborated the evidence. Indeed one of the witnesses had given a description of the bouncer which did not fit the accused.
The court found that the accused had defended himself from assault by Mr Farrugia but there was no evidence that he had hit him.
It therefore him acquitted the bouncer of all charges.