A man arrested on Halloween night by police drawn to a party of friends at the Salina National Park by the smell of cannabis was granted bail upon arraignment on Thursday. 

Police patrolling the area around the public park at around 9pm on Tuesday spotted a group of young people gathered around a picnic table, the unmistakable scent of cannabis in the air. 

Officers approached the group and searched one of the them. 

That search gave negative results but when the officers shifted their focus onto another member of the group, their suspicions were proved right. 

Inside a bag belonging to Christopher Frendo, a 24-year-old St Paul’s Bay resident, police came across three jars containing cannabis grass.

The cannabis weighed a total of 48 grams.

The youth was arrested and taken in for questioning, prosecuting Inspector Ryan Vella said during Thursday’s arraignment.

Frendo was charged with possessing the drug under circumstances denoting that it was not exclusively for personal use. 

That offence was further aggravated by the fact that it was allegedly committed within 100 metres of a place frequented by children and youngsters. 

The youth pleaded not guilty and his lawyer requested bail. 

The prosecution objected mainly on the basis of the gravity of the charges which carried a substantial punishment.

The weight of the drug exceeded “by far” the legal limit and there was also the aggravating circumstance to consider, argued the prosecutor.

But defence lawyer Charmaine Cherrett countered that the alleged offence had to be considered in perspective. 

Frendo was a first-time offender with a regular and fixed job as well as a supportive family.

Moreover, he was a “genuine” person who had given the police all the details about the source of the drug, explaining that it was homegrown. 

This was the first time ever he had stepped into court and was a trustworthy character, stressed the lawyer, pointing out that he had only exceeded the legal limit by some 20 grams. 

“Is there any fear of tampering with evidence,” presiding Magistrate Victor George Axiak asked.

“No,” replied the prosecutor. 

After hearing submissions, the court upheld the defence’s request, granting bail against a deposit of €5,000, a personal guarantee of €15,000, a curfew between 9pm and 6am and signing the bail book twice weekly.

The youth was also warned not to approach prosecution witnesses and to abide strictly by court conditions. 

Inspector Francesco Mizzi also prosecuted.