A man was acquitted of seriously injuring a police officer and had his two-year jail term reduced to one year and three months after his case was re-evaluated following the annulment of the first court’s judgment on a procedural defect.

Victor Buttigieg had been sentenced to two years in prison for heroin possession and seriously injuring a police officer in October 2000, as well as other crimes. The judgment was appealed against and yesterday the court annulled the sentence on a procedural defect.

Buttigieg was instead given a one year and three-month jail term after he was declared guilty of heroin possession, slightly injuring a police officer and reckless driving.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono presided over the court while Dr Roberto Montalto and Dr Franco Debono appeared for the accused.