Man spared jail over punching tourist 90 minutes after he arrived in Malta
The tourist had only been in Malta for 90 minutes when he was punched in the left eye following a collision in Luqa
A 26-year-old Tarxien man has been handed a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to punching a tourist following a traffic collision.
Owen Cremona was arraigned in court in March 2024 when he was accused of grievously injuring a tourist during an argument that ensued after a traffic collision at the beginning of his holiday in Malta.
The tourist had only been in Malta for 90 minutes when he was punched in the left eye following a collision in Luqa.
During his arraignment, it had emerged that the Danish tourist was driving along Triq il-Kunsill tal-Ewropa on March 10, 2024, when he was involved in a collision with a car driven by the defendant’s father.
The two emerged from their cars, and the tourist was said to have pushed the other motorist.
That was when Cremona’s girlfriend called her boyfriend to tell him what had happened, and he rushed to the site.
Upon arrival, the tourist tried pushing Cremona, who allegedly retaliated by punching him in the eye, causing him grievous injuries.
During the proceedings, the permanent injuries could not be proven.
Initially, a medico-legal expert had said that the injuries were likely to be permanent, but during cross-examination by the defence, the expert said that the victim would have to be re-examined a year after the incident.
By the time this happened, the tourist had already left Malta, and the prosecution had closed its evidence stage.
On Wednesday, the court handed Cremona a two-year prison term suspended for four years.
A three-year restraining order was issued in favour of the victim.
Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi presided.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit appeared for Cremona.