Matthew Busuttil, 24, from Ghaxaq, Jurgen Cumbo, 26, from Zejtun, Roger Spagnol, 37, from Zabbar and Paul Farrugia, 21, from Qormi, were all charged with attempting to seriously injure five police officers while they were on duty in Paceville on Saturday night.

The men were also charged with slightly injuring police inspector Stephen Gatt, police sergeant Silvio Ellul and police constables Brian Camilleri, Jesmond Delicata and Anthony Caruana at 4.15am in St George’s Road, Paceville.

Further charges faced by the men are assaulting public officers while they were on duty, disobeying police orders, breaching the peace, challenging police officers to fight, swearing in public, damaging a Kenwood stereo, damaging police uniforms and assaulting three security men from the Red Square Place bar in Paceville. The women, Fiona Grech, 26, from Zabbar, Monica Spagnol, 33, from Zabbar and Elaine Aquilina, 19, from Xaghjra, were charged with slightly injuring and assaulting the police officers, damaging police uniforms, swearing in public and breaching the peace. The men were remanded in custody after their request for bail was turned down. The three women were granted bail against a personal guarantee of Lm1,000 each. They were also ordered to stay away from Paceville.

Police inspectors Mario Tonna and Therese Sciberras prosecuted.