A Briton who hurled abuse and threatened police officers after being found carrying methadone prior to boarding a flight to the UK was given a suspended jail term and fined €800 by a court.

The incident happened last night, when 49-year-old Dino Migele Citrone was going through the security check at Malta International Airport. Police inspector Malcolm Bondin told the court that when the man went berserk as soon as he was asked for the written authorisation to be able to carry methadone - a substance used to treat addiction treatment.

The defendant insisted that he had lost the document on his way to the airport, and had to be restrained as he tried to force his way to the boarding gates.

"At one point he even made death threats to the police," he said. Though the man eventually calmed down, inspector Bondin said that such abuse against public officials was completely unacceptable and should be punished.

The man pleaded guilty and was fined €800 payable in 16 monthly installments of €50 each, and handed a six-month jail term suspended for a year.

The court presided by Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit warned him, that any failure on his part to affect the payments on time, would trigger an international arrest warrant.

Lawyer Leontine Calleja was defence counsel.

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