Three Moroccans and a bouncer were charged in court today following an incident in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The four pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Amine Drif, 18; Othmane Nachir, 19; and Mohamed Benchekroun, 23; who are staying at Park Hotel in Sliema, were charged with damaging three cars and breaching the peace.

Mr Benchekroun was also charged with slightly injuring another person.

Bouncer Francois Pisani, 41 of Iklin, was charged with seriously injuring Mr Nachir and Mr Benchekroun with a baton and slightly injuring another 13 Moroccans.

Mr Benchekroun has a broken left arm while Mr Nachir has a fractured right wrist.

Sources said that one of a group of 30 Moroccans went to buy a packet of cigarettes from a vending machine at Plush in Paceville.

The machine did not give him the correct change and he complained with the barman.

The barman explained that the machine was rented and did not belong to the club and offered the man a drink.

The Moroccan took the drink and threw it back at the barman. At this point, the whole group got involved in a fight which ensued.

It is understood that before the fight took place, the Moroccans were spending heavily at the bar, had given a pen drive with their own music to the DJ and were offered a bottle of champagne on the house because they were spending so much money.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman granted the Moroccans and the bouncer bail against a personal guarantee of €3,000 each and a deposit of €3,000 each.