A man who stopped to help a woman fix her car's wobbly tyre was cleared of claims that he had slipped his hand under her skirt after a court felt her testimony was merely an "impression".

The 28-year-old was acquitted of violent indecent assault after Magistrate Antonio Mizzi said the woman's evidence was "an impression of what might have happened".

In July 2008, the accused, who was driving a truck, stopped to help the woman when he realised that one of her car's back wheels was wobbly. As they were driving through the airport tunnel in Kirkop he flashed his headlights twice to draw her attention and drew up next to her when she stopped once out of the tunnel.

He tightened three of the tyre's bolts that were loose and slid under the car to establish whether the inner part was damaged.

It was at this point that the woman's version of events differed from his. She testified that while the truck driver crawled out from under her car, he slipped his hand under her skirt and touched her.

The accused denied it, adding that his hands were dirty from touching the car. He also offered to have his fingerprints taken.

The woman also claimed he had asked her out for a drink when he was under the car. He also denied this but admitted he had asked for her mobile number. They had, in fact, exchanged numbers but it turned out she had given him a wrong number.

Magistrate Mizzi said the two versions were completely different. "Although it cannot be said that (the woman) filed a false police report, one has to take into consideration that she might have had an impression of what might have happened."

Magistrate Mizzi said the version of the accused was more credible. "There is no doubt that this was an abnormal situation where (the woman) came into contact with a stranger who was helping her."

As a result, he cleared the accused of all charges.

Police Inspector Carlos Cordina prosecuted.