A man was cleared of charges of seriously injuring his sister when he pushed her to the ground after the court was not satisfied with the evidence produced by the prosecution.

Handing down his judgement, Magistrate Giovanni Grixti said there was a conflict in the versions and therefore the court was not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had actually pushed his sister who, when she fell to the ground, sustained fractures to her arm.

The court heard how Salvina Attard, from Tarxien, filed a criminal complaint against her brother, Francis Farrugia, 53, from Tarxien, claiming that during an argument he was having with their mother, Maria Farrugia, he pushed her to the ground and she sustained a broken arm.

Testifying, Maria Farrugia said her son was arguing with her over interest on a bus he had purchased when Mrs Attard walked in and asked what was happening. She said Mr Farrugia ran towards his sister and pushed her.

But testifying in court, Mr Farrugia said it was true he was having an argument with his mother on the morning of 9 May 2004 but said that as soon as his sister walked in she slipped and then started saying that her arm was hurting.

In view of this conflict in versions, especially between the versions of Mrs Attard and her mother, Magistrate Grixti cleared Mr Farrugia of the charges brought against him.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted.