Four Havana Club bouncers have been cleared of seriously injuring a former football player after a magistrate heard an acquaintance testify that the alleged victim had told him he was after financial compensation.

Former Malta national team player Jeffrey Chetcuti was injured during an incident outside the Havana in Paceville on June 5, 2008.

Following this incident, Brian Bellotti, 31, Renard Tabone, 37, Graeme McKay, 34 and Marflene Cricchiola, 29, had been charged with beating up the former football player.

Mr Chetcuti told the court that he was walking down the steps of the nightclub when a group of Italians made a pass at his friend, Elaine Theuma.

When he told this person to leave her alone, he was suddenly pushed down the stairs of the club by one of the bouncers, the player alleged.

When he reached the bottom of the steps he was kicked in the face and his nose and a tooth were broken.

Taking the witness stand, Ms Theuma said she did not recall anyone pushing Mr Chetcuti down the steps but did remember someone kicking him in the head. She, however, failed to recognise that person.

Magistrate Carol Peralta heard doctor Rodianne Agius, who examined Mr Chetcuti on the day of the incident, explain how the injuries were compatible with a fall down a flight of stairs. She classified them as slight injuries.

However, another doctor, Kirill Micallef Stafrace, testified that the injuries were of a grievous nature because of a deviation of the nasal bone. A dentist also testified how the football player had two broken teeth but these were repaired with white filling.

The bouncers told the court that they led Mr Chetcuti to the stairs because of problems they foresaw when Mr Chetcuti began arguing with the Italians who harassed his friend.

The court noted how Mr Chetcuti's version was not corroborated by any independent eyewitnesses and how his version contrasted with that of the bouncers. Other witnesses of the prosecution testified that they had not seen anyone kicking Mr Chetcuti.

The magistrate noted how the injury to the nose was only mentioned at a later stage during the proceedings and the court could not tell whether he had injured himself during a football match or during the Paceville incident.

Faced by the two conflicting versions, the magistrate said he was inclined to clear the bouncers of the charges. However, this was further strengthened by the testimony of another witnesses, David Flores, an acquaintance of all the parties involved in the court case, who told the court that Mr Chetcuti had approached him and told him "he was after financial compensation".

As a result, the court was even less inclined to believe Mr Chetcuti's version and ruled that the incident was "completely accidental".

Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted while lawyer Joe Giglio represented the bouncers.