Somali fined, conditionally discharged after urinating against bus shelter

The 30-year-old culprit had caught the Gozo ferry and alighted from the bus he was on to relieve himself

A court has fined a Somali man after he was arrested for answering the call of nature in public near a bus stop in St. Andrews.

30-year-old Jibril Ismail Jibril, who lives in Gozo, had caught the early ferry to Malta without taking a bathroom break. He had told police that he could not hold it in and decided to alight the bus to relieve himself.

But Jibril chose his spot poorly, electing to relieve himself against a bus shelter whilst passengers were boarding. Bystanders called the police who promptly arrested him.

The accused, who appeared in court with his arm in a sling and assisted by a translator, pleaded guilty and promised the court that he would never do it again, describing it as a one-off.

Barely suppressing a smile, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli told Jibril that she hoped he was now aware of what not to do if he felt the call of nature in a public place again. The court imposed a fine of €100 and conditionally discharged him for 12 months.

Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted. Lawyer Noel Bartolo was legal aid for the accused.