A 20-year-old man was fined €500 for slapping a police woman in the face after she tried to arrest him for taking part in a fight.

Keith Balzan claimed that he never took part in the fight but saw a few people in a brawl near Browns night club in Paceville and tried to break up the argument on October 18 last year.

Just as the police arrived, WPS Maria Scicluna grabbed Mr Balzan from his back, as he was the first person she found and he then turned around and slapped her in the face.

He ran off chased by another two officers who caught him a short distance up the road.

Another officer PC Johann Vella testified that at around midnight he had just finished breaking up another fight and was returning to the police van when he turned and saw the fight in front of Browns. He saw Mr Balzan hit Ms Scicluna on the face.

In his police statement Mr Balzan said that when he felt someone grab him from behind he got a fright and admitted to pushing the police woman but not punching her.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said that from the evidence produced Mr Balzan pushed Ms Scicluna to get away from the police. In view of his clean police record and that he is a first time offender, she fined him €500.

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