A man got drunk as he celebrated his release from prison after three years, and ended up behind bars once more after resisting arrest and twisting a police officer's arm, a court was told on Monday.

Libyan-born Mohammed M. Mahdi, 40, was arrested on Saturday afternoon at around 3:20pm while partying with friends at Spinola Gardens, St Julian's. 

The group was visibly drunk, with glass bottles in their hands. 

But all cooperated when police intervened, except for Mahdi who grabbed a police officer and twisted his arm, the court was told during his arraignment. 

He was arrested and taken to St Julian's police station where he insulted two other officers who were on duty. 

'I don't remember anything'

Now sober, Mahdi pleaded not guilty to insulting, threatening and assaulting a police constable, being drunk in public as well as carrying a glass wine bottle in public. 

He also denied insulting the two other officers at the police station as well as relapsing. 

"I drank a lot. I don't remember anything," he said.

His legal aid lawyer, Christopher Chircop, explained that most of the charges were contraventions. 

The alleged injuries, even if still to be proved, were slight. 

The accused was celebrating the "start of a new life," he said. 

He had just served time in jail, went on the lawyer, as Mahdi interrupted, saying: "three years."

"He drank and the incident occurred," went on the lawyer. 

He said there was a third party who was willing to offer the accused a home and a job, besides supplying the necessary guarantees for bail. 

The prosecution objected. Mahdi had told the police that he lived in Gżira, at a place where "he found the key under a carpet," the court was told. 

There was still no certainty about future employment and besides, this was not the accused's first clash with police. 

Magistrate Victor George Axiak, declared that at this stage there was no peace of mind that the man would abide by bail conditions, particularly not to commit another voluntary offence pending these proceedings. 

Inspector Zachary Zammit prosecuted.