A court yesterday ordered a man to pay his colleague Lm6,040 in damages for beating him up at work following an argument over a football match.

Matthew Camilleri, who was seriously injured as a result of the incident and sustained a five per cent permanent disability, had filed a writ against Kriston Caruana after he was beaten up at the Raesh Quarglas (Malta) factory in Mosta on 4 April 2001.

The two men had argued over a football match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich, which had taken place the previous day.

Mr Camilleri, a Manchester United fan, told the court that Mr Caruana had teased him about the match, repeatedly offering him a glass of warm water with lemon, since the English team had lost.

Mr Camilleri had then thrown the lemon in the dustbin. Mr Caruana had taken it out, and insisted that his colleague eat it. Mr Camilleri had moved the lemon from near his mouth and had accidentally hit Mr Caruana with it, which had prompted Mr Caruana to beat him up, seriously injuring him in the process.

Although Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia noted that Mr Caruana had said this was a reaction to being hit with the lemon, the court concluded that this was only an accident and Mr Caruana had sustained no harm.

Dr Chris Cardona appeared for Mr Camilleri.