A man who faced a 30-year prison sentence over charges of trying to kill two during a big fight in Paceville was yesterday jailed for three months for carrying a knife after jurors found he had acted in self-defence.
Defence lawyer Joseph Giglio walked out of the courtroom with hands raised in triumph amid shouts of joy by family members of Anthony Bartolo, 26.
Jurors found Mr Bartolo not guilty by eight votes to one of the attempted murder of Darryl Borg and Clint Mangion and not guilty by eight votes to one of seriously injuring Pierre Micallef.
The jury panel concluded that although they believed that he had seriously injured the three men he had acted in self-defence.
He was found guilty of carrying a knife without a licence and was jailed for three months.
The trial, which started on Monday, saw witnesses describe what took place on August 10, 2004 when a huge fight occurred outside the then Bamboo night club, sparked off by an argument that had started inside.
Testifying on Tuesday, Mr Micallef had at first given a sketchy account of what had happened on the night. After being warned by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono that if he did not tell the truth he would be held in custody, Mr Micallef decided to cooperate and recounted to the court how he had held Mr Bartolo by the hands as his friends beat him up. Mr Micallef was at one point stabbed in the hand but said he did not know who did it.
None of the three victims could identify the person who stabbed them. They shared a similar story, saying they had not even known that they had been seriously injured until someone had told them.
Mr Borg testified that he had consumed 15 Budweiser beers with vodka but on being stabbed did not realise the full extent of his injuries until later. The court heard on Monday that Mr Borg had suffered a 10-centimetre long, 2.5 cm-deep laceration that had cut through a muscle.
The head of the Prosecution Unit at the Attorney General's Office, lawyer Anthony Barbara prosecuted.
Lawyer Robert Abela also appeared for Mr Bartolo.