A 19-year-old man today denied trying to seriously injure another man in a fight which, sources said, appeared to have started after the alleged aggressor took exception to the way the other person was looking at him.

Joseph Schembri, of Luqa, was taken to court and accused of slightly injuring Joseph Muscat when he slashed him on his lower back during a fight in Luqa on Wednesday night. He also pleaded not guilty to the unlawful use of a knife.

Defence counsel Giannella Caruana Curran said that her client was surrounded by other people and acted in self defence.

Inspector Tony Cachia said that he had no objection to the accused being granted bail.

Bail was set against a personal guarantee of €2,000.

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