Five students were yesterday jailed for one month, suspended for a year, after they pleaded guilty to bullying a fellow student at the MCAST college in Corradino.

Appearing before magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, the boys, who cannot be named as they are still minors, were charged with bullying another boy by assaulting, threatening and pushing him to the ground with the intent of hurting him at the MCAST college in Corradino on 7 December and the preceding four months.

Three of the accused are aged 17, while the other two are 16. The former come from Marsascala, Sliema and Nadur, while the latter come from Gudja and Zejtun.

They were also accused of threatening to use violence on him or his family, insulting him and using obscene language in public.

One of the accused was charged with damaging the victim’s belongings while another was charged with being in possession of a sharp and pointed instrument.

Prosecuting inspector Chris Pullicino told the court the boy who had damaged the victim’s belongings – staining his top with super-glue – was going to make good for the damage.

All five boys were given a one-month sentence suspended for a year, on condition they do not commit another crime within a year. The boy who was found in possession of a knife was also fined Lm50.

Presenting five videos of the bullying scenes, taken by the boys themselves, Insp. Pullicino told the court that bullying is a hot issue in a number of countries and in this particular case, the victim had been bullied for a number of weeks, if not months.

To add insult to injury, one of the boys admitted, in the statement he gave to the police, to using a knife to scare the victim, whom the bullies even ridiculed by posting videos of their acts on the Internet, the inspector said.

While making it clear that in no way was he, or the other lawyers defending the acts of bullying, which are deplorable in every way, one of the defence lawyers, Dr Jason Azzopardi said they were defending “children” who come from good families.

“One of the boys’ parents want to assist their son to take counseling. All the parents and the boys have asked us to publicly express remorse for what they’ve done to the boy, his family, as well as society,” said Dr Azzopardi.

Magistrate Apap Bologna warned the boys of the meaning of their punishment. “This time I’m allowing you to leave, but you will immediately face a month in prison if you commit another offence,” the magistrate told them.

Dr Jose’ Herrera, Dr Jason Micallef, Dr Michael Sciriha, Dr Kris Busietta and Dr Ilona Debono appeared for the accused.