A jilted lover who punched his former partner’s old flame in a jealous rage has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.

The 31-year-old from Attard was found guilty of seriously injuring Nathan Testa in Pembroke in September 2007.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia heard police inspector Carlo Ellul explain how Mr Mallia had fallen for a woman who later cheated on him with Mr Testa, her ex-boyfriend. She immediately told him about the matter and he had taken it very badly.

One day, he forced her to call Mr Testa to tell him to meet her in Pembroke at 11.15pm. But he showed up at the meeting point instead, surprising Mr Testa. He told the police he had gone to the meeting to speak to Mr Testa and clear the air, despite showing up with a telescopic baton tied to his back, which was never used.

The two men came to blows and Mr Testa suffered bruises to his face and a laceration underneath his right eye, which required stitches.

In court, Mr Testa said he had forgiven Mr Mallia and withdrew the criminal complaint he had filed against him. However, some charges could not be dropped and the police proceeded with the case ex-officio.

In her considerations, Magistrate Farrugia noted how Mr Mallia was now living a stable life, working with a private firm and reading a Masters course at the University of Malta.

In view of the circumstances, especially the fact that the injured party had forgiven Mr Mallia, Magistrate Farrugia condemned him to 200 hours of community work.