A man who was out on bail has been re-arrested after having allegedly tried to steal from two yachts at the yacht marina in Pieta'.

Annise Bejaoui, 33, from Zejtun, was arrested on Sunday evening after the police were alerted about a man who was hovering near vessels berthed at the marina.

The suspect was found to need medical assistance after injuring a leg as he allegedly tried to climb on board one of the boats.

On Monday he turned up in court without a lawyer and said that his personal lawyer had told him to ask for a legal aid lawyer.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech said that legal aid was an institution intended primarily for those who lacked the means to engage a personal lawyer. She therefore ordered the police to investigate if the system had been abused.

However, to ensure that the rights of the accused were always safeguarded, the court appointed a legal aid lawyer to assist Bejaoui at the arraignment.

He was charged with attempting to steal from two boats, as well as breaching three bail decrees, the most recent one delivered in July.

He was also charged with relapsing.

If found guilty, he risks forfeiting some €27,000 in bail money.

A request for bail was objected to by the prosecution, which said that Bejaoui had repeatedly failed to abide by bail conditions by breaching a curfew and also not signing the bail book.

The accused promptly interrupted the prosecutor’s arguments, pointing out that he had been in and out of hospital because of leg problems.

He had last signed on October 7, went on prosecuting Inspector Ian Azzopardi. 

Moreover, eyewitnesses were still to testify and therefore the prosecution was also objecting because of the risk of tampering with evidence.

The court turned down the request for bail in view of the fact that civilian witnesses were still to testify and moreover, the accused was not deemed trustworthy.

Lawyer Josette Sultana was legal aid counsel.