Perpetrator of savage beating conditionally discharged after victim retracts complaint

A man from Mellieha, who broke a construction worker’s leg in a savage beating has been conditionally discharged, after his victim forgave him and retracted the criminal complaint.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri is understood to have been shown disturbing CCTV footage of innocent 41-year-old Lawrence Farrugia pummeling his victim at the Naxxar office of Maghtab Construction Ltd, in March 2015.

Farrugia was charged with inflicting grievous injuries and breaching the peace.

The court heard how Farrugia had gone to speak to the victim’s employer about a business matter and had mistaken the unfortunate man for his boss.

At a later stage in the proceedings, the accused changed his not guilty plea to an admission and apologised for his actions.

Parte civile lawyer Arthur Azzopardi informed the court that, on his part, the victim was renouncing all proceedings against Farrugia. The court was also told that the victim had forgiven his assailant and that the accused paid the victim an amount of monetary compensation as agreed in a private writing.

Farrugia was conditionally discharged for 18 months.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.