Man sentenced to community service 11 years after committing assault

A man was ordered to perform community service and pay compensation to his victim, 11 years after leaving him permanently disfigured

The court ruled it was more appropriate for the accused to compensate for his behaviour by performing 100 hours of community work and be placed under a three-year probation
The court ruled it was more appropriate for the accused to compensate for his behaviour by performing 100 hours of community work and be placed under a three-year probation

A court has ordered a man, who permanently disfigured another man after smashing a glass in his face, to pay the victim €2,500 by way of damages and to perform community service, after the aggressor pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.

Paul Borg, 38, from Santa Lucija, had admitted to having grievously injured the victim, a fellow resident, in the course of an argument which erupted outside the Santa Lucija Bocci Club in the early afternoon of 27 May 2006.

The court, presided by magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia, acting upon a recommendation by a social worker, had ordered a pre-sentencing report of the accused after being informed of the man's drug and alcohol problem.

The court noted that Borg had already been handed a six-month sentence suspended for two years for a similar case. In total, Borg had incurred seven convictions.

However, it was also noted that the victim, in spite of having suffered a permanent disfigurement, did not want to press charges but wished his aggressor to be offered all necessary treatment so as to overcome his problems.

The court observed that Borg had, since the aggression, settled down with his partner, even taking upon himself all the responsibilities of fatherhood. In such circumstances, the court deemed it inappropriate to apply an effective jail term and risk undoing all the progress made by the accused.

In her ruling, finding Borg guilty, magistrate Farrugia said that it was more appropriate for the accused to compensate for his behaviour by performing 100 hours of community work and be placed under a three-year probation order to ensure that he continued to remain on track.

The court also ordered him to pay €2,500 to the victim.

Inspector Jurgen Vella prosecuted.