Paceville bar staff acquitted eight years after teenager burned in flaming cocktail accident

A court has acquitted all accused in connection with a 2017 accident at Paceville’s ‘Bacco Sticks & Sum by Hugo’s’ that left three patrons, including a 16-year-old, with burn injuries, ruling that evidential gaps made conviction impossible.

The case, heard before Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech on Monday, concerned an incident that happened on 7 July 2017 at around 11:15pm at the St Julian’s establishment.

Defendants Noel Falzon, Luke Chetcuti, and others whose names were redacted, faced charges of causing serious and permanent injuries through negligent handling of an explosive substance, as well as breaching workplace health and safety regulations and serving alcohol to minors.

The accident happened while a bartender was preparing a flaming shot pyramid, a cocktail involving ignited alcohol. The flames suddenly spread, igniting nearby patrons and causing partial-thickness burns to three victims: Giovanni Maria Sollazzo, Sofia Lorenzini, and Nuria Fabrega Rubio.

Sollazzo, who was 16 at the time, testified that no IDs were checked upon entry. He described seeing the bartender light the flaming drink moments before his own clothes caught fire. He sustained burns over 10% of his body, including his face and chest, and continues to suffer psychological trauma requiring treatment. He later received €250,000 in insurance compensation.

Expert witness David Borg Saydon confirmed that the incident was accidental, caused by the combustion of a flaming cocktail. Medical reports presented in court laid out the extent of the injuries.

Despite the gravity of the victims’ suffering, the court found that the prosecution failed to prove who legally owned or managed the establishment. No documentation establishing the defendants’ formal connection to the venue was ever exhibited.

The court noted that it was “truly shameful” that a case in which only two witnesses testified as allowed to protract for over eight years.

In her judgement, the magistrate said that these evidential lacunae made it impossible for the court to determine criminal responsibility beyond reasonable doubt. The court therefore acquitted all defendants of all charges.

The incident had previously been described as accidental during the proceedings, and the bar’s management, including Falzon, was found to have cooperated fully by providing security footage.