A 37-year-old man from the UK, living in Qormi, admitted to causing a Libyan national grievous bodily harm after he punched him several times.

Peter Burford was brought before the Courts today and pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charge and to disturbing the peace.

Testifying, police inspector Nikolai Sant said that the police were informed that there was a Libyan national with blood on his face, lying down on the floor on St George’s road, St Julian’s. Police went on site and from investigations it resulted that a vehicle was seen near Hugo’s boutique hotel, from which the suspect had emerged and punched a Libyan national a number of times.

Police contacted the vehicle rental company, got to know the name of the accused, called him, and the accused went down to the station and admitted to the offence.

In the past, the Court heard, the Libyan national was seen drunk several times and the accused wouldn’t allow him into a night club where he worked. The Libyan national would threaten and insult him, the court heard.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera found the accused guilty, and sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Simon Micallef Stafrace appeared for the accused as legal aid.