The monti hawker accused of stabbing loan shark Anthony Borg (il-Bona) in 2010 has been jailed for six years and fined €9,600 for what jurors decided was an act of excessive self-defence.

Allan Galea had been facing a possible life sentence if found guilty of wilful homicide.

The 6-3 “excusable homicide” verdict means jurors accepted the defence’s argument that the elements supporting a claim of self-defence – unjust, grave and inevitable aggression – were present but that he went overboard in defending himself. Had he not exceeded the limits of self-defence allowed by law, the 36-year-old would have been acquitted.

When Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi handed down the sentence, Mr Galea kissed the hand of defence lawyer Joe Giglio before embracing him and the rest of his lawyers.

Prosecutor Lara Lanfranco had appealed for the maximum penalty of 12 years, stressing that the deceased was already out of action when the accused delivered the fatal stab to the heart.

Dr Giglio said the law did not prevent the court from handing down a non-custodial sentence. “If he had not acted that way, we would have a different accused here today.”

Dr Lanfranco and Kristina Debattista from the Attorney General’s Office led the prosecution, while Giannella de Marco, Dr Giglio and Steven Tonna Lowell were defence counsel. Franco Debono and Matthew Brincat appeared parte civile for the family of the deceased.