A Qormi baker was yesterday cleared of seriously injuring a man with a knife after two conflicting versions of the event were presented in court.

Jason Vella, 35, of Qormi was cleared of seriously injuring Alfred Felice and the illegal possession of a knife on 31 January 2006.

Magistrate Anthony Vella heard prosecuting Police Inspector Maria Stella Attard saying that Mr Vella told her that Mr Felice went to his bakery in Qormi on 31 January.

He explained to her that an argument broke out over what had been said on the television programme Xarabank. Mr Vella said that later that morning at about 5.15am, Mr Felice went to his house and started ringing his doorbell.

When he answered the door, Mr Felice assaulted him and slammed him against the wall. The inspector explained that Mr Vella tried to resist Mr Felice and, when Mrs Vella went outside to see what was going on, Mr Felice let go of him and ran off.

At that point, Mr Vella told the inspector, Mr Felice pulled out a knife and assaulted him again. He added that he grabbed Mr Felice’s arm to try and stop him from hitting him with the knife and then managed to get away.

Mr Vella said he suffered injuries in the neck and thigh and explained that he must have injured Mr Felice while trying to push the knife away from him. Inspector Attard told the court that she had also spoken to Mr Felice who gave a different version of events.

Mr Felice said he was driving behind Mr Vella when the latter stopped, got out of the car and brandished the knife at him. He said that he could not carry on driving as Mr Vella was blocking the road, so he got out of the car and tried to take the knife but Mr Vella stabbed him in his stomach.

Magistrate Vella cleared Mr Vella of the charges. Dr Joseph Giglio appeared for Mr Vella.