Man jailed after stripping naked and assaulting police in St Paul's Bay

A man who took off all his clothes as he tried to flee from police was jailed for 13 months after he was found guilty of assaulting two officers, causing them slight injuries, among a raft of charges. 

Adnan Mohammed had been arraigned in court over an incident that took place on May 11, 2025 in St Paul’s Bay.

He faced a raft of charges, including disobeying lawful orders, being naked in public, and disturbing the public peace.

On the day, the Qawra police station received a report about an argument on St George’s Street in St Paul’s Bay. They received a second call about another argument on St Paul’s Street in the same locality.

Two constables - Manuel Zahra and Sven Sammut – were sent to St Paul’s Street, while a sergeant and three constables went to St George’s Street. While the latter group was still on the way, they received a request for backup from their two colleagues.

The two constables who had gone to St Paul’s Street found a man bare-chested shouting on the phone. The pair asked him if he needed any assistance, but the man, identified as Mohammed, ignored them and kept walking in the opposite direction. The constables got out of the car and followed him.

The man started running and removing his clothes as he tried to flee in the opposite direction. The constables ordered him to put back his clothes but Mohammed refused to comply. Another man, identified as Hasan came by and said that Mohammed was his friend, he tried to calm the accused down.

Instead, Mohammed ran in the direction of the constable who was standing in front of the common door of a building. Mohammed “smashed” Zahra’s head to the door with the constable testifying that he could not get out of that position. The constable explained that the accused had forced him to the door and caused him some injuries to his back.

Sammut testified seeing Mohammed attack Zahra and that he tried to pull the accused away from the accused. Sammut called for back-up. When the sergeant arrived, he ordered Mohammed to stop, but the accused failed to comply.

The sergeant fired the taser gun, causing Mohammed to fall to the ground. However, he got back up and attacked Zahra. A second shot was fired, and Mohammed was arrested.

Sammut explained that the accused did not cooperate during his arrest, and it took all six officers to arrest Mohammed, with three holding him from the torso up and three holding down his legs.

Mohammed was taken to Mater Dei Hospital. The injuries by the two constables were certified as slight. However, these certificates were not confirmed by the doctor who had issued them.  

Footage from the officers’ bodycams and other videos downloaded from social media were exhibited in court.

The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt; however, the accused’s conduct clearly fell under the provision dealing with assault or resistance by violence against a person lawfully charged with a public duty, and not the article dealing with vilification or threats against a person lawfully charged with a public duty.

In its considerations on punishment, the court observed that the man was being found guilty of causing slight injuries to two officers and had shown no remorse for his behaviour.

The court jailed Mohammed for 13 months and fined him €6,800, which he has to pay within two years, or otherwise be converted into an additional prison term.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided. Police inspector Clayton Camilleri prosecuted.