'Career criminal' jailed for assaulting police officers

A man who was described as a “career criminal” by a magistrate has been jailed for four years for assaulting three police constables, slightly injuring two of them.

Joseph Zammit, 47 of Sta Venera, was convicted of having assaulted, injured, insulted and threatened the constables on the evening of August 14, 2021. He was also convicted of breaching bail conditions set only a month previously.

The incident took place near and inside the Ħamrun police station.

In court it emerged that as another man, Anees Badroush went into the police station to sign his bail book and alleged that the accused had followed him, hit him and threatened to throw acid at him.

Two police constables went outside and found Zammit standing bare-chested and barefoot. He held a white bottle in his hand and claimed it was full of acid.

A constable ordered him not to stop pouring it on the street. A third constable was called to assist in Zammit’s arrest.

As he was taken into the police station Zammit became more agitated and resisted arrest. He started kicking the police officers and pushing them, then fell to the floor and hit his head. He also tried to bite the officers, the court was told.  

One of the police constables testified that Zammit appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Police officers testified that Zammit claimed that his children were in the square outside the police station, when in fact there was no one. He also claimed that someone had followed him, but again the police found no one.

The accused also claimed that the police had hit him, but that claim was unsupported by the bodycam footage that recorded the incident.

An ambulance was called since Zammit sustained injuries. He was taken to Mater Dei Hospital and later to Mount Carmel Hospital.

In its considerations on punishment, the court observed that the offences that Zammit was charged with were punishable with a prison term of one to four years and a fine.

The court said it found no reason not to believe the officers’ testimony. It also referred to the man’s “biblical” criminal record which is 42 pages long consisting of various convictions.

While he had been given several opportunities to reform himself, he did not learn anything, the court said, describing him as a career criminal.

The court found him guilty of all the charges brought against him, jailed him for four years and fined him €8,000.

Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia presided. Police inspector Andy Rotin prosecuted while legal aid lawyer Julia Micallef Stafrace assisted the accused.