A young man landed in double trouble when he was found with cocaine in his shoe during a roadblock on Saturday night as he happened to be outdoors beyond curfew hours. 

Ryan Falzon, a 22-year-old Qormi resident, was escorted to court on Thursday afternoon and charged with unlawful possession of cocaine as well as breaching a previous bail decree.

He had been stopped by AFM personnel at Msida when a small amount of the suspected drug was found in his shoe.

Prosecuting inspector Jonathan Ransley pointed out that the accused had cooperated with the police and that the drug had been intended for personal use. 

Moreover, defence lawyer Franco Debono made reference to a recent amendment tabled in Parliament, allowing the court discretion when deciding upon such cases of breach of bail. 

Debono, who previously challenged the constitutional validity of a “blanket provision” imposing forfeiture of bail money indiscriminately, on Thursday informed the court that the suggested amendment had gone through the final stages earlier in June. 

In light of such legislative development, the young man filed an early guilty plea.

Both the prosecution and the defence suggested probation as appropriate punishment, given the circumstances of the case. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Gabriella Vella, put off the case for judgment, upholding a request for bail by the accused’s lawyers. This was granted against a deposit of €200, a personal guarantee of €1,000, an order to sign the bail book daily and a curfew between midnight and 8am. 

Lawyer Francesca Zarb was also defence counsel.