Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino has won Lm200 in libel damages from Malta Labour Party weekly newspaper Kullhadd over an article which claimed that he assaulted someone at the government vegetable market. The article, entitled Jaggredixxi lill-President tal-Borg tal-Pitkali Crates (Assaults the president of the Pitkali Crates) claimed that Minister Pullicino grabbed a man by the neck after he had insulted him.

The court heard that during a visit to the vegetable market, the Minister was insulted by someone who walked off. While he walking off, the minister pulled him by the hood of his sports jacket.

Handing down his judgement, magistrate Michael Mallia said the case was a "borderline case" because the gesture could be seen as an aggression. However, he said, the article tried to portray that there was more than just a pull on the jacket's hood.

He therefore ruled that Kullhadd was guilty of libel and ordered them to pay Minister Pullicino Lm200 in damages.