Two Britons who were accused of assaulting and injuring a policeman on Palace Square early yesterday, were handed a suspended jail term today.

Their defence counsel argued in court that the two were drunk and meant no harm. They also apologised.

The policeman suffered a fractured wrist in the incident outside the Palace at 2.30 a.m. The defence lawyer said the injury was the result of an unfortunate fall.

Thomas William McHugh, of Oxford, was accused of seriously injuring the policeman. He was also accused, along with his friend, Thomas George Devenish of St Julians, of violently resisting police orders. Devenish was also accused of violating the conditions of a probation order imposed in 2009 when he was convicted of driving without a licence.

Both men admitted the charges. They were condemned to a two-year jail term suspended for four years.

The two men were photographing themselves in the sentry boxes in the square and " fooling around" when they were seen on security cameras by a soldier stationed inside the President's Palace. He stepped outside and asked them to stop but the men turned on him.

While they were wrestling, the policeman on patrol heard people shouting and went to investigate. One of the men tripped the officer and he fell, fracturing his hand.

Stefano Filetti was defence counsel.