An argument between two men over urine ended with a beating in Naxxar and saw the aggressor getting a two-year jail term suspended for four years after the men faced each other in court.

Victim Simon Abela of Naxxar testified that he used to find urine near his garage and had always suspected that the accused, Alexander Mifsud of Naxxar, was to blame.

So he approached him but the accused said he did not care.

Abela told the court that, after that, the accused spat on the ground whenever he saw him.

He said that on the day of the incident, he had seen the accused’s wife and asked her to be left alone. But the accused visited him at home later and as soon as he opened the door he spat at him.

Abela claimed that he realised that Mifsud was going to punch him so he punched first, hitting the accused in the face. Mifsud then threw Abela on the ground and hit him with his safety shoes leaving him with a permanent disability.

In her judgment, Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit said that although two somewhat different versions of events were given, that given by the victim was, without doubt, more truthful.

It found Mifsud guilty of injuring Abela but not guilty of spitting and breaching the peace because of lack of evidence.

Besides the suspended jail term, the court also placed Mifsud under a restraining order for three years and fined him €305, also warning him of repercussions should he fail to adhere to the sentence.

Inspector Roderick Spiteri prosecuted. Francesca Zarb and Franco Debono were defence lawyers. Lawyer Edward Gatt appeared parte civile.