‘Chaotic drug abuse’ did not excuse holder from following bail conditions, court hears

A medical note citing “chaotic drug abuse” did not excuse its holder from adhering to his bail conditions, the police have argued as they arraigned a man on charges of breaching multiple bail decrees.

34-year-old Kersten Camilleri from Valletta was arraigned before magistrate Victor Axiak on Wednesday, accused of breaching five separate sets of bail conditions and recidivism, by failing to sign his bail book for weeks on end.

Inspectors Lydon Zammit and Stephen Gulia, prosecuting, told the court that Camilleri had not gone to sign his bail books since November 15 last year.

The court was told that the defendant had been on bail in relation to several ongoing criminal proceedings, the earliest of which date back to 2020.

After several unsuccessful bids to locate Camilleri, including a number of visits to his family home, the door to which never opened to the police, the man was found inside an apartment in Gzira and arrested.

A medical certificate issued by a psychiatrist was found in Camilleri’s possession, said the prosecution, adding that it stated that he was “excused from signing [his bail book] due to his chaotic drug use.” The police had also contacted the psychiatrist to explain that this was not a valid excuse for not signing one’s bail book.

The psychiatrist had then suggested to the police that the defendant should be enrolled in a drug rehabilitation program.

Camilleri, assisted by lawyers Jose Herrera and Martina Herrera, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody.