A Maltese national continues to work at the European Commission despite being found guilty of assaulting a woman and hurling anti-Semitic insults at her.

An EU official said that though they were aware of the judgment by Belgium’s Court of First Instance, the Commission would wait to see whether an appeal would be filed and, if so, the outcome before concluding an internal procedure on the matter.

Stefan Grech was found guilty of hitting a European Council employee with a plaque commemorating Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The Italian woman had accused Mr Grech of calling her “a dirty Jew”.

He was found guilty of inciting discrimination, hatred and violence against someone of the Jewish faith as well as aggravated assault motivated by racial hatred.

Mr Grech was put on probation for three years and ordered to seek treatment for his alcohol habit and to work an undefined number of hours with an organisation that fights racism.

Despite all the evidence he is still working as usual at the Commission

He will also have to pay the victim €500.

The incident involving Mr Grech, the brother of Nationalist MP Claudio Grech, was first reported in 2015, with court proceedings starting two years later.

The head of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, Joel Rubinfeld, said it was not yet known whether Mr Grech would be appealing the judgment.

“Despite all the evidence and, now, the judgment finding Mr Grech guilty, he is still working as usual at the Commission,” he told the Times of Malta, adding the Commission could have suspended Mr Grech.

claire.caruana@timesofmalta.com