A man was remanded in custody on Sunday after pleading not guilty to threatening a man with a broken bottle as he walked in Pietà to steal his watch, which costs more than €4,500. 

Alexander Anthony Gialanze Whiteford, 37, who has no fixed address, denied committing the theft between 9.30 and 10am in Triq Bordin on August 22.

He also denied holding the man against his will, threatening him with violence as well as stealing a motorcycle from Marsascala on July 16 and driving it without a licence or insurance cover. He also denied relapsing and breaching police bail conditions when he failed to turn up at the police depot when ordered to do so. 

The court heard how he called in the morning to inform the police that no one would turn up for an appointment with them if they knew they were going to be arrested. 

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb requested bail, insisting that their client has been out of prison for almost 14 months and was clean. 

But Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras denied the request, primarily because the man has no fixed address. 

Police Inspectors Lydon Zammit, Fabian Fleri and Stephen Gulia prosecuted.