A 24-year old Tarxien customer care agent who stepped in to help a friend who was being assaulted by a neighbour was granted bail on Thursday after he was himself accused of assault.    

The incident took place on Monday when a verbal spat between the neighbour and the accused's friend broke out. 

The friend was hit with a spade. 

The accused, Ramirez Vella, stepped in, flinging a punch. 

His lawyer, Jacob Magri, explained that "perhaps he was somewhat a bully but he only wanted to help his friend who had no one else to turn to and called the accused for assistance. "

Prosecuting Inspector Paul Camilleri said that the friend could have filed a police report without dragging in the accused. 

The court was told that Vella had several brushes with the law in the past. But now his only pending case is before the Drug Court at appeal stage and the accused has made great progress, explained Magri. 

Vella pleaded not guilty to assaulting the neighbour, causing grievous injuries, carrying a weapon without the necessary police licence as well as breaching bail. 

Footage from the scene of the scuffle apparently showed the verbal exchange and the waving of pen knives but not the blows, said the prosecutor. 

However those weapons, later shown to police by the accused himself when they searched his mother's home, were only used to intimidate. 

The injuries were allegedly caused by the punch. 

After hearing submissions, Magistrate Joseph Gatt granted bail against a deposit of €1,000, a personal guarantee of €2,000, daily signing of the bail book, a curfew and a prohibition of going to Fgura where the incident took place.  

Vella was warned not to approach the alleged victim in any way and to steer away from any further trouble.  

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Jacob Magri are defence counsel.