Two brothers found guilty of injuring man

Two brothers were yesterday given a two-year jail term suspended for four years for seriously injuring a man under provocation following a feud between two families.

Lawrence Callus, 33, of Birzebbuga, was found guilty of seriously injuring Anthony Edward Sultana at the Birzebbuga police station on April 17, 1998, at 2.30 p.m., slightly injuring his brother Daniel and their father Anthony.

Leonard Callus, 37, of Marsascala, was found guilty of complicity in the same offences.

Mr Justice Patrick Vella in the Criminal Court yesterday noted that the prosecution had accepted the defence of sudden passion, in consequence of which the Callus brothers were rendered incapable of reflecting on the consequences of their actions.

In handing down punishment, the judge said he had taken into consideration the Callus brothers' guilty plea, the fact that they had been provoked, that Leonard Callus had a nine-year-old daughter who was seriously ill and needed constant attention and that Lawrence Callus was making consistent and considerable progress in a drug rehabilitation programme.

Dr Stephen Tonna Lowell from the Attorney General's office prosecuted.

Dr Joseph Brincat, Dr Michael Sciriha and Dr Ian Farrugia were counsel to the defendants.