Man rams friend's car after being denied a lift home

A man who allegedly damaged his friend’s BMW, after being denied a lift from a remote discotheque and then threatened him with a knife, has been released on bail after a court was told that the victim had forgiven the accused.

Inspector Elliott Magro arraigned 22-year-old Jurgen Schembri, from Pieta, before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit this afternoon, on several charges, including that of causing over €2,500 worth of damage to a BMW belonging to his friend Clifton Demanuele, from Hamrun, at around 6:45am this morning. 

It is understood that the Demanuele had given the accused a lift to Gianpula last night, but at a point had had an argument with him and refused to drive him back home. The accused, forced to walk all the way to Pieta, is alleged to have then found his friend’s car and damaged it. The two men live streets away from each other.

Schembri was arrested after he returned to continue the destruction of his friend’s vehicle - this time from behind the wheel of a van, which he rammed into the BMW.

Schembri is also accused of threatening his friend with a knife, when Demanuele had tried to stop him from damaging his vehicle. 

Schembri pleaded guilty to the charges.

Inspector Magro told the court that the men had since reconciled their differences and that the victim had forgiven the accused. Lawyer Leontine Calleja requested bail, after assuring the court that the accused would pay for the damages caused.

The court granted Schembri bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000, also ordering him to observe a curfew and not approach Demanuele or his family.