In court for 17 years over a punch

A case which started 17 years ago when a man allegedly punched a bank manager, is expected to be concluded in court in January. The incident happened on September 2, 1995 when Stephen Bonsfield punched Raymond Brockdorff in a Mid-Med Bank branch. The manager needed surgery to his jaw. Bonsfield was convicted by a magistrate's court and condemned to a jail term of 18 months by (then) Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani. During the appeal, Mr Justrice Joseph Galea Debono annulled the sentence and sent the case back to the Magistrates' Court. Magistrate Padovani renounced the case which then landed before Magistrate Audrey Demicioli, who will deliver her sentence on January 25. The case started after the accused protested after the bank withheld Lm5 from his account. He pleaded in court that he did not intend to hurt the manager and he acted on the spur of the moment.