The man, Alfred Cardona, had been trying to defend his friend whom he had just seen being stabbed. He was testifying in the trial of four men involved in a fight in Bugibba in the early hours of 11 March 2001. The men – Godwin Vella, 41, David Calleja, 39, Anthony Joseph Portelli, a 31-year-old soldier and Keith Caruana, 26, all from St Paul’s Bay – are accused of seriously injuring Mr Cardona. Mr Caruana is also charged with the attempted murder of Emanuel Farrugia.

The bill of indictment against the four men alleges that they had gone out to celebrate Mr Caruana’s birthday and had been dropping him off at his home, because he had drunk too much alcohol.

The men took Mr Caruana home in a black Opel Tigra, which they left in the middle of the road while they helped him to his front door. This was at about 2am.

According to the bill, a Mercedes being driven by Darren Mallia, who went on take the stand at yesterday’s sitting, pulled up behind the Opel. Mr Mallia sounded his car’s horn. Emanuel Farrugia, Stephen and Alfred Cardona and Paul Ebejer were in the car with Mr Mallia.

The accused, Mr Calleja, went to ask Mr Mallia why he had hooted, and an argument ensued. Mr Portelli then allegedly grabbed a baseball bat from the Opel’s boot and began hitting the roof of the Mercedes.

The men riding in the Mercedes got out of the car to stop Mr Portelli and Mr Farrugia was hit in the face with the bat. Mr Cardona, who took the stand yesterday, explained that Mr Caruana then came out of the house brandishing two knives. “I saw him stab Leli (Farrugia) and then the blade luckily snapped against his (Leli’s) chest,” said the witness.

“I went crazy when I saw him beat my friend and as I went to push him (Caruana) off Leli, the other man (the witness was referring to Mr Calleja) punched me,” continued Mr Cardona. “I felt dizzy and fell to the ground. Mr Portelli kicked me when I was down and broke 12 of my teeth.”

He said that as a result of the incident, that was the last day he ever ate peanuts. At first, said Mr Cardona, he thought gravel had got into his mouth when he had fallen, but then, he explained, he realised that the things in his mouth were actually loose teeth.

Apart from the loss of his teeth, Mr Cardona’s kidneys were damaged and his face was severely bruised as a result of the beating to which he had been subjected.

Mr Caruana is accused of trying to kill Mr Farrugia, and Mr Portelli was allegedly his accomplice. Mr Portelli and Mr Calleja were also charged with slightly injuring Mr Farrugia.

Since Calleja had been found guilty of seriously injuring another person in 1992, he is also charged with relapsing in view of previous convictions. In addition to these charges, Mr Caruana is accused of resisting arrest, while Mr Calleja allegedly refused to obey police orders. Darren Mallia, who was driving the Mercedes which pulled up behind the Opel, also took the stand at yesterday’s sitting. The version of events he related was very similar to that described in the bill of indictment. He said that as soon as he saw Mr Caruana brandishing the knives he was scared and ran away. “I went to a bar a few metres away to ask someone to phone the police,” the witness said. He said the second part of the incident, the beating of Mr Cardona, occurred when Mr Vella, one of the accused, walked out of the bar to which Mr Mallia had gone to call for help.

The witness explained that he and his four friends were on their way home after having two beers at the Waikiki bar in Bugibba when they got caught up in the fight described above.

The trial continues this morning. Senior Counsel to the Republic Dr Mark Said is leading the prosecution. Dr Martin Fenech is defending Mr Vella and Mr Calleja, Dr Edward Gatt is appearing for Mr Portelli and Dr Anglu Farrugia is assisting Mr Caruana.