Four men facing criminal charges over a brawl with police officers six years ago were let off lightly by a Magistrates’ Court which observed that the whole incident had escalated pointlessly.

A fight had broken out one September evening in 2011, when Francesco Scerri Hawkins, together with his father Luigi and two other relatives, Carmelo and Jesmond Scerri, were in Felice Street, shortly after the traditional band march, in honour of the village patron’s feast.

A group of police officers were walking along when they realised that the group were hurling insults at them, using offensive terms such as ‘pigs’ and ‘smell of bacon’.

The episode sparked off a violent scuffle which landed the offenders at the local police station – where the fracas continued.

A police major, three sergeants and two constables were involved in the brawl. One of the officers was slightly injured, and some of their belongings were also damaged.

After hearing the testimony of 11 police officers who had witnessed the events as well as the testimony of two of the accused, the court declared three of the men guilty to varying degrees, clearing the fourth, Jesmond Scerri, of all charges.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona, issued an absolute discharge in favour of the other three, pointing out that the incident had “escalated unnecessarily”.