2015 Paceville club incident: Bouncer acquitted of negligently causing grievous injuries to dozens

An unlicenced club bouncer has been acquitted of negligently causing grievous injuries to the dozens of people hurt when a Paceville club’s glass bannister shattered.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech found Bojan Spasic, 30, from Serbia, not guilty of negligent grievous bodily harm, but convicted him of working as a doorman without a licence and smoking inside the club.

He was fined €1,200 for these offences, payable in instalments over the next 12 months.

Police outside the club the morning after the incident (Photo: MaltaToday)

Spasic had been one of 23 people who were charged over the November 2015 incident at PlusOne club. 

A stampede inside the club had been triggered by someone using pepper spray inside the club, causing patrons to rush towards the exits.

The crowd’s pressure had caused a glass bannister to give way. 14 youths suffered grievous injuries whilst over 80 suffered slight injuries. Two girls were in critical condition.



The broken bannister (Photo: MaltaToday)

Although the club had been licenced to hold 200 persons, 450 revellers were packed inside on the night. At least 34 of them were aged under 17.


A subsequent inquiry led by Magistrate Doreen Clarke also found under age drinking, indoor smoking, non-existent emergency exits and unlicensed security guards, amongst other worrying shortcomings.

Spasic, who spoke no English or Maltese had been singled out by the inquiry as having urged the patrons to leave the club.

Reading out the concluding paragraph of her judgement in court, Magistrate Frendo Dimech praised Spasic, who she said had done his duty and put the safety of others before his own.

Spasic was represented in court by lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Adreana Zammit.