A 41-year-old man from Żabbar was remanded in custody on Wednesday, after pleading not guilty to punching his father after he refused to give him drug money.

The man was accused of punching his father in the neck after he refused to give him money to buy drugs he badly needed. 

He appeared before magistrate Ian Farrugia, accused of violently assaulting his 65-year-old father and causing him to fear violence. 

Police Inspector Christian Cauchi told the court that the man was a heavy drug addict who regularly asked his parents for money to purchase drugs to satisfy his addiction. 

On March 5, when his father refused to give him money to buy drugs, the man allegedly assaulted him, punching him in the neck. 

The man pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Lawyer Martin Fenech requested bail for the man but this was refused because he could not offer guarantees that he would obey bail conditions. 

The court upheld a request by the prosecution for a protection order in favour of the man's father.