Police have charged a 35-year-old cab driver* with using a hammer to attack a man in Paceville on New Year’s Day. 

The driver, Christian Lawrence Desira, was prosecuted today, over his role in a fight.

He has been charged with grievously injuring Romanian national Alin Mircea Ladariu and threatening Colombian national Luis Pierino Vargas Garcia. 

The fight occurred at around 3:15pm in Triq San Ġorg, St Julian’s. Police were first informed of the incident by the alleged victims, and the taxi driver himself later went to the police station of his own accord to admit he fought with two people. 

Desira is pleading not guilty and has been granted bail against a €500 deposit and a €3,000 personal guarantee, and on condition that he sign the police bail book twice a week. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb are defending him.

Another fight broke out in Paceville on New Year’s Day, after 50 people, many of whom were Syrian nationals, gathered by an establishment on Triq Gorg to celebrate the new year. 

Three people, a 34-year-old Libyan, a 33-year-old Libyan and a 36-year-old Irishman were hospitalised, and police had to swarm in and pull out their taser guns to control the situation. No charges have been issued yet.

*A previous version of the article incorrectly described the suspect as a taxi driver, rather than a cab driver.