No bail for accused in Rabat PL club brawl

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit denied bail to Kenneth Micallef, 25 of Dingli, remanding him in custody after pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Ian Attard, during a fight at the Labour Party club of Rabat last Sunday.

Micallef, who shook his head in disbelief as he was being remanded, claimed through his lawyers Vince Micallef and Andy Ellul that he was being singled out of a mob of 40 persons who were involved in the fight.

Ian Attard remains in critical condition at Mater Dei Hospital, suffering from severe head injuries after he was brutally kicked in the head and in other parts of his body, when the fight continued outside the club, and left for dead in the middle of the road.

The fight broke out after the Labour mass meeting in Naxxar.

The argument is said to be unrelated to politics, having developed after a woman stood up on a billiard table to dance. Attard, who is a regular at the club, was reported to have complained at the people who suddenly turned up at the club just to make noise and seemingly take over the premises.

It is alleged that Attard was heard complaining, and then confronted by some men, when the matter degenerated into a massive free-for-all.

According to Police Inspector Sarah Magri, who led the prosecution together with Inspector Stephen Saliba, a number of witnesses saw the accused, Kenneth Micallef, violently assault the victim.

Micallef insisted that he was not the one to have kicked Attard in the head while he was on the ground, and stressed that he remained inside the club, while the victim was taken outside and beaten.

According to Inspector Magri, Attard remains in a critical condition.