Emanuel Farrugia, 44, of Sliema was this evening found not guilty by a jury of the attempted murder of Carmelo Falzon of Zabbar in a fight in 2008.

The jurors found that Mr Farrugia had been acting in self-defence when he stabbed and slashed Mr Falzon after he was assaulted.

Mr Farrugia told the jury yesterday that he was being strangled by Mr Falzon and had used his penknife in self-defence.

He said that one minute he was relieving himself against a wall in Attard and the next, Mr Falzon was swearing at him and challenging him to a fight.

The incident happened on October 13, 2008 after the two men had watched a billiards game at the Santa Maria Stella Levantina band club in Attard.

Farrugia said he was urinating against a wall, he recounted, the victim started shouting and swearing at him and he decided to cross the road to ask him what the problem was.

All of a sudden Mr Falzon, who was with another two men, were hitting and kicking him. He tried to get away and made it to the middle of the road. He kicked the victim and fell down himself.

Mr Falzon then jumped on him and started to strangle him, at which point he managed to take a penknife out of his back pocket and waved it at the accused.

Lawyers Chris Cardona and Mark Vassallo appeared for the accused.