The younger son of European Commissioner Helena Dalli, Jean-Marc, has lost a human rights case over the absence of his lawyer during a police interrogation about the trafficking of ecstasy at a party in Paola in 2013.

Dalli was last year jailed for three months and fined €650 after he was caught red-handed giving ecstasy pills to another man outside a party venue at the old prisons in Corradino.

Jean-Marc Dalli has appealed the sentence, which is still pending.

Mr Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey found no breach of rights when Dalli was interrogated by the police in the absence of a lawyer. This was not a legal requirement at the time and it was only introduced at a later stage.

Dalli had consulted a lawyer of his choice before the interrogation, the court pointed out. While he had just turned 18 and it was the first time he had been taken to a police station, he failed to convince the court that he was vulnerable.

Mr Justice Spiteri Bailey also pointed out that the first court did not rely on his statement when it found him guilty of drug trafficking but considered other evidence, including from eyewitnesses and police officers.

During interrogation, Dalli had admitted to buying six blue pills for a friend upon his request and selling them to him for the same price, the first court had heard.

The court yesterday sent the case back to the appeal court to decide the case on the merits.