A driver who punched a security guard on the nose after he was grabbed by the neck had acted in legitimate self-defence, a court has ruled.

The driver and the security guard came to blows in the Planning Authority's car park on January 30, 2012.

The court heard that Robert Caruana had been trying to park his car in the car park outside the Planning Authority Appeals Board premises when security guard Joseph Bonello ordered him three times to move elsewhere.

The third order was one time too much, prompting Mr Caruana to call the security guard  "stupid," a remark which sparked a violent row between the two.

When the security official grabbed the driver by the neck, also pinning his arm, the latter reacted by punching Mr Bonello with his free hand, fracturing his nose.

The security officer suffered a 5% permanent disability on account of the injury to his nose.

In her decision, Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit said that this had been a perfect case of legitimate self-defence since Mr Caruana had suffered an "unjust, grave and unavoidable" aggression when grabbed by the throat and arm by the security guard.

His reaction in trying to stop the aggression had been understandable and within limits, since he had immediately stopped once the other man fell to the ground, the court concluded.

Mr Caruana was cleared of all charges.

Lawyer Kathleen Grima was defence counsel.