Three members of a family who attacked a Libyan following a road rage incident were fined while another member was given a suspended jail term.

Although the evidence was conflicting, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli found victim Wael Mohammed Ghani credible.

The incident happened in March, 2008, when Mr Ghani was driving his car on a roundabout, in the area of tal-Ħawli in Cospicua.

23-year-old Joseph Bugeja drove out of a side road and onto the roundabout just missing Mr Ghani's car, the court heard.

Mr Bugeja showed Mr Ghani his middle finger and kept driving at an excessive speed.

Mr Ghani dropped off his wife and child at home and went to look for parking.

He saw Mr Bugeja, who had already parked in front of his house and garage, and told him that next time he should be careful when driving.

Mr Bugeja shouted and swore at the victim and, all of a sudden, his mother, Jacqueline, 47, and his two brothers Francis and Kevin, 24 and 22, respectively, came out of the house and assaulted him with stones.

Ms Bugeja hit Mr Ghanis car with a squeezer and Francis threw a small tin of paint it at the car, smashing the windscreen. He then went into the garage and got a knife, a screw driver and a spanner and the victim got into his car and drove off.

The family denied everything.

Magistrate Demicoli fined Joseph and Jacqueline Bugeja €400 each and gave Francis an eight month jail term suspended for 18 months. She fined Kevin, deemed a first time offender, €200.