The Malta Tourism Authority yesterday said the assault on two of its enforcement officers on 25 July was not a one-off event; it had happened before. The incident arose when enforcement officers Andre Zammit and Jonathan Cuschieri were serving enforcement notices on two establishments in Paceville, due to claimed irregularities in their business.

The police had to intervene, the MTA said.

It added that a number of operations were trying to bypass the recent amendment prohibiting the sale of alcohol from confectioneries after 9pm.

A date for the court hearing of the assault case has still to be set but the shop is at present closed after an appeal was turned down by Magistrate Abigail Lofaro.

The operators are now appealing to the MTA board to have the enforcement notice revoked. The appeal will be heard on 4 September.