Updated 1.24pm with arraignment details
A man was refused bail on Tuesday after having allegedly seriously injured a policeman who was trying to arrest him on Sunday.
The incident happened in Qormi when the police called at Triq il-Kus following a report that the 51-year-old, Mario Baldacchino was threatening and being aggressive towards another person.
Baldachino refused to obey police orders and tried to flee when told he would be arrested, the police said. A policeman was injured and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.
In court, Inspector Kevin Pulis said Baldacchino grabbed a footstool and was about to launch it at a policeman when another officer stepped in, injuring his leg.
Baldacchino was arrested and held at police headquarters.
On Tuesday he was accused of assaulting, insulting and threatening three officers, causing grievous injuries to one of them, failing to obey legitimate orders and breaching the public peace.
He was also charged with insulting and threatening the other man as well as committing the alleged offences during the operative term of a suspended sentence.
A request for bail was objected to in view of the fact that civilians still have to testify.
Besides the fear of tampering with evidence, the prosecution also pointed out the gravity of the alleged offences and the fact that the incident could have had even more serious consequences.
The injured officer suffered a knee injury and faced the prospect of lengthy medical treatment, the court was told.
The accused had been afforded chances by the courts, as attested by his suspended sentence, but still persisted in kicking up trouble with third parties, said the prosecution.
Defence lawyer Christian Camilleri countered that the accused was presumed innocent.
Magistrate Rachel Montebello turned down the request for bail in view of the gravity of the charges and also because the court was not convinced, especially after reading the accused’s statement, that he would abide by bail conditions.
Inspectors Roderick Agius and Kevin Pulis prosecuted.
Lawyer Mario Mifsud was also defence counsel.