An Englishman who said he works in a hotel in Malta yesterday was accused of seriously injuring a man and of holding a knife against another man’s throat during a fight that broke out inside his apartment in St Paul’s Bay.

Mark John Lynch, 39, originally from Ipswich, was accused of seriously injuring Robin Gingell in his arm during a fight in his apartment in St Paul’s Bay on Tuesday night. He was also charged with holding a knife against Samwel Seguna’s throat minutes later and with being in possession of an unlicensed weapon. Furthermore, he was charged with damaging the front door to his apartment which is owned by Martin Buhagiar.

Defence lawyer Mark Busuttil said his client was pleading not guilty to the charges brought against him and said that there was a “strong element of self-defence” involved in this incident.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani granted the man bail against a personal guarantee of Lm10,000.

Police Inspector Paul Bond prosecuted.