A Welshman was charged yesterday with fracturing a man’s jaw after a fight broke out between them while they were having a drink at Jumping Jack’s Bar in Marsascala.

Before magistrate Anthony Vella, Philip Anthony Pooley, 41, pleaded guilty to attacking, offending and insulting Jonathan Bugeja from Marsaxlokk early on Thursday morning.

Mr Pooley initially denied the charges, because his lawyer claimed he had acted in self defence, but he later took into consideration the fact that the court proceedings would be much shorter if he filed a guilty plea.

Mr Pooley, a plumber, has just finished a work contract in Malta and was planning to return to Cardiff in the next few days. The court heard that the alleged victim would not be able to testify in court for at least two weeks as he is still receiving treatment in hospital.

Mr Pooley was granted bail against a deposit of Lm100 and a personal guarantee of Lm2,000.

Police inspector Alexander Grech prosecuted and Dr Mark Busuttil was defence counsel.