Updated 3.30pm

A man on Monday pleaded not guilty to grievously injuring a party supporter at a PN club in Ħamrun during the San Cajetan feast.

Andrew Attard, a 48-year-old Ħamrun resident who told the court he was unemployed, was charged with grievously injuring Noel Mifsud Bonnici during a fight that broke out in the club on August 13.

Times of Malta reported last month that PN leader Bernard Grech was not allowed inside his party's own club in Ħamrun during the San Cajetan morning march, in an incident that led to an altercation that left Mifsud Bonnici "severely beaten".

Five days later the PN "temporarily closed" the Ħamrun club.

On Monday Attard was also charged with breaching previous bail conditions as well as relapsing. 

Andrew Attard was charged with grievously injuring Noel Mifsud Bonnici during a fight that broke out in the club on August 13. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

His name was brought up with the police by Mifsud Bonnici, who spoke to investigating Inspector Sarah Kathleen Zerafa. Court was told on Monday that the man could barely speak right after the incident before being rushed to hospital with a torn ligament in his right leg. 

He was discharged a week later to give his version of events, where he mentioned the accused and another man "with a goatee, short and stout" who was still to be identified, explained the prosecutor.

A request for bail was objected to in light of the accused's apparent untrustworthiness, given his criminal record. 

The victim's lawyer, George Camilleri, stepped in arguing that investigations were still ongoing and other suspected aggressors had not been identified yet.

However, defence lawyer Charles Mercieca, countered that investigations had been ongoing for a month and the incident had been highly publicised. 

The accused had known about it too and yet, regularly kept his three-time weekly visits to sign the bail book.

The prosecutor meanwhile confirmed there was no magisterial inquiry into the incident. 

Zerafa had gathered footage and spoke to a number of witnesses who could not name the aggressor but said they would identify him if they were to see him again. They would be summoned to court to testify. 

The footage did not capture the incident itself, since there were lots of people and festa decorations also got in the way. 

When checking the victim's written version, the magistrate observed that he had mentioned "two kickboxers who suddenly appeared and attacked him".

"Is he a kickboxer," asked the magistrate, indicating the thin-statured man seated at the dock.

The court momentarily suspended the hearing and retired to chambers. 

A while later, the magistrate delivered a decree whereby bail was denied in light of the fact that the victim was still to testify. 

Moreover, investigations were ongoing and people could be summoned as eyewitnesses. 

The court however urged the prosecution to produce such witnesses as soon as possible to avoid the possible risk of tampering with evidence.

Inspector Sarah Kathleen Zerafa prosecuted.

Lawyer Charles Mercieca was defence counsel.

Lawyer George Camilleri appeared parte civile.