Two men were yesterday placed under house arrest after they were charged with threatening, assaulting and seriously injuring a man.

Francis Ebejer, 60, from Sliema and Paul Spagnol, 40, from San Gwann both pleaded not guilty, before presiding magistrate Anthony Vella, to the charges of threatening, assaulting and injuring Mohamed Touarha in Sliema on Thursday.

Mr Ebejer, alone, pleaded not guilty to the charges of pointing a firearm at Mr Touarha, being in possession of a weapon at the time of the crime and committing a crime during the operative time of a suspended jail term.

Mr Spagnol, alone, pleaded not guilty to relapsing.

Magistrate Vella granted the two men bail on condition that that they do not leave their homes without the court’s permission against a Lm500 deposit and a personal guarantee of Lm2,000.

Police Inspector Stephen Gatt prosecuted and Dr Franco Debono appeared for the two men.