A French student who slashed a Maltese man with a broken bottle in Paceville was conditionally discharged on Monday after a court heard how the victim had forgiven him and was not interested in further proceedings.

Yanis Meherzi admitted the incident, which took place on August 2, at around 3.30am, in St Rita Street.

He pleaded guilty to having involuntarily placed the life of the victim in manifest danger by hitting him with a broken bottle causing him grievous injuries. He also admitted being drunk in public at the time of the incident.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud said excessive drink robbed a person of the faculty to know when he had to stop. He observed that the instrument used by the accused, namely the broken bottle, and the way how it was aimed at the victim, reflected the accused's clear intention to cause serious harm.

“This barbaric behaviour can never be tolerated by a civil society and is to be severely censured,” the court declared, voicing concern in respect of those parents who may be informed, some time during the night, that one of their children had been injured while on a night out at Paceville.

Lawyer for the victim Arthur Azzopardi informed the court that his client had since forgiven the accused and acknowledged the fact that his aggressor had been acting under the influence of drink, even though this was no excuse.

Moreover, Dr Azzopardi explained that civil issues arising from the incident had been settled between the parties and that his client no longer had any interest in the criminal proceedings.

In view of this declaration as well as the accused’s early guilty plea, his young age, his clean criminal record, his cooperation with the police and the fact that he had already spent 10 days under preventive arrest, the court declared him guilty and conditionally discharged him for two years.

Inspector Matthew Spagnol prosecuted.