Man who threw bottle at barmaid remanded in custody

A man who threw a glass bottle at a barmaid in Marsa, grievously injuring her, has been refused bail.

Mussie Amare Kiflom, an Eritrean living in Msida was accused of grievously injuring the woman, using force against her and her employer, insulting and threatening them.

The 31 -year-old supermarket employee had been warned not to visit the establishment, three days before, by the bar owner as he had a reputation as a troublesome drunk.

Yesterday as the bar was closing, the accused didn’t want to leave. He threw a bottle at the owner and missed, before picking up another bottle and throwing it at the barmaid. She required five stitches to her head and six to the palm of her hand, prosecuting inspector Stacy Attard told the court.

Lawyer Noel Bartolo, appointed legal aid to the accused, entered a not guilty plea. The man had been drunk and didn’t know what he was doing, he said. “All he knew was that he threw a bottle.”

The court turned down the defence’s request for bail as there were witnesses yet to testify.