A driver who parked his van on a double yellow line, blocking a neighbour’s garage, landed into further trouble when he drove over a policeman’s foot, a court heard on Monday.

It all started on Saturday morning when a woman called the police to report that her neighbour’s Ford Transit van was blocking her garage.

A police sergeant went to the street in Birzebbuga at around 11:15am, finding the van parked on a double yellow line.

Its owner, 27-year old Etienne Buttigieg, claimed that he had some trouble with the vehicle and could not move it.

But then the officer noted that the number plates on the van actually belonged to another vehicle.

He ordered the driver not to move.

But Buttigieg drove off, right over the sergeant’s foot, that was fractured in the incident.

He was tracked down later on Sunday at a Zejtun farmhouse where police also found the van involved in the incident.

Buttigieg was arrested and escorted to court on Monday where he pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges for having allegedly attacked and violently resisted the police officer, insulting and threatening both the officer and the neighbour, grievously injuring the sergeant and failing to obey legitimate orders.

He also denied driving in a dangerous, negligent and reckless manner, without a licence and third-party insurance cover as well as using number plates belonging to another vehicle.

Buttigieg was under a probation order issued almost a year ago and was allegedly a recidivist.

The prosecution strongly objected to his request for bail, pointing out the risk of tampering with evidence and the fact that the accused had several past brushes with the law.

Moreover, no public officer should suffer such injuries while carrying out his duties, argued the prosecutors.

The defence countered that this was an “unfortunate incident” and the accused was very sorry for what happened.

He could move to his mother’s home for bail purposes.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras refused bail.

Inspectors Doriette Cuschieri and Jonathan Cassar prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Anthony Stellini were defence counsel.