A parking issue between two neighbours blown out of proportion, landed one man with grievous injuries and the other with a suspended sentence and an order to tackle his anger management problem.

Mario Zaffarese, a 53-year-old Żebbuġ resident, resolved to face his rather “quarrelsome” neighbour one morning in May, 2016 upon being told that the latter had approached his daughter and threatened to puncture her car tyres should she persist in parking opposite his home.

The disputed parking slot was not reserved but it appeared that the elderly neighbour insisted on keeping it clear for his own children to park upon their return from work.

Mr Zaffarese had just returned from work shortly before 9am when, upon being told of the ‘puncture’ threats, stormed out of his house to face his neighbour who, at the time, happened to be chatting outside with a third party.

Carrying a firearm, the man approached his neighbour’s back, dealt a blow which knocked over the elderly victim and then kicked the neighbour with his safety shoes, causing him grievous injuries.

When the victim’s son, alarmed by the commotion, rushed outside armed with a car jack to face his father’s aggressor, the latter had threatened to shoot.

An off duty police officer who happened to live close by intervened to defuse the situation, later testifying as eyewitness in the criminal case against Mr Zaffarese.

The third party, who had swiftly taken his leave upon noticing the accused approaching them rather hurriedly, also testified in the proceedings.

The aggressor was charged with having inflicted grievous injuries without the intent to kill, breaching the peace and carrying a weapon outside his home without the necessary licence. Other charges were not proven.

A medical expert certified that the elderly victim had suffered a fractured forearm and fractured ribs.

Upon the evidence put forward, the recommendations outlined in the probation officer’s report and the fact that the prosecution did not insist upon an effective jail term, the court, presided over by magistrate Josette Demicoli, handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years.

The court also placed the accused under a three-year supervision order to undertake an anger management programme and a three-year restraining order to keep away from his victim.

As for the latter, magistrate Demicoli observed that he had no right to threaten the accused’s daughter as though he had a pretended right over the parking space.

“Even if it were a reserved space, one should resort to the authorities or at least face the person politely,” the court declared.

Inspector Roderick Agius prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.