Rude gesture at prosecutor proves costly for man who breached bail curfew

The accused admitted two years after the incident

A man has been given an 18-month jail term, suspended for three years, and fined €1,000 for making a hand gesture at a prosecution lawyer while out past his curfew hours. He also had a bail deposit of €1,000 confiscated. 

Josef Majri was also ordered not to approach the lawyer, who works in the Attorney General’s Office, and was bound by a €2,000 bond.

The incident happened in May 2023 at 12.17am. 

Prosecuting Inspector Robert Azzopardi explained that the lawyer was exiting a bar in Strait Street and saw the accused, who gestured by pointing two fingers at him.

The lawyer reported the incident to the police, who obtained CCTV footage from the bar, which showed the accused gesturing with his hands and mouth.

Majri was arrested and charged with threatening the lawyer, as well as breaching two previous bail decrees. After admitting the charges, two years later, he was given a suspended jail term, and the €1,000 bail bond was confiscated.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.

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