Charged with assaulting police officers, prison guards

Alfred Bugeja, known as Il-Porporina, was yesterday charged with assaulting police officers and prison guards at the law courts on Monday.

Mr Bugeja, 47, of Valletta, was also charged before Magistrate Silvio Meli with assaulting, threatening and insulting Police Superintendent Neil Harrison, challenging him to fight, disobeying the police and breaching the peace in the corridors of the law courts at about 10 a.m.

When asked to register a plea, Mr Bugeja, who was unassisted by a lawyer, argued that he would be lying if he pleaded not guilty but if he said he was guilty...

At that point Magistrate Meli interrupted him and told him that all he wanted was a plea to which Mr Bugeja replied that he pleaded not guilty.

Mr Bugeja then argued that he believed he should be granted bail and added that he had nothing against Superintendent Harrison who he respected as a gentleman.

Magistrate Meli turned down the request at this stage.

The alleged incident took place during and after a court sitting in a case in which Mr Bugeja and another 18 co-accused are pleading not guilty to conspiring to deal in drugs.

Mr Bugeja allegedly started shouting when he was not satisfied with bail conditions as laid down by the presiding magistrate in that case.

Police Inspector Pierre Micallef Grimaud prosecuted.