[WATCH] Updated | Arraignment of aggressive driver postponed after lawyer fails to turn up

Aggressive driver who allegedly assaulted police inspector on Saturday to be arraigned over assault on Monday after defence lawyer fails to turn up

14 February 2016, 10:46am
by Staff Reporter

2 min read

A 50-year-old man (left) was arrested by police on Saturday after allegedly assaulting a police inspector

A driver with a ‘lengthy criminal record’ who was arrested by police and taken to court this morning after he allegedly assaulted a police inspector on Saturday will be arraigned on Monday morning after his lawyer failed to turn up for the hearing.

Earlier, police confirmed with MaltaToday that the driver, a 50-year-old man, was due to be arraigned under arrest for having assaulted a police officer. However, despite being taken to court this morning, the man, who was under police custody, told presiding Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit that his lawyer had failed to turn up.

Raġel arrestat wara li ħebb għal Spettur.
L-Ispettur aggredit sofra xi ġrieħi u ttieħed l-Isptar Mater Dei biex jingħata l-kura meħtieġa, għalkemm il-kundizzjoni tiegħu għad mhix magħrufa.Madankollu, skont l-Ispettur Sandro Camilleri, il-President tal-Police Officers’ Union ( Pou Gwu ) , bħalissa qed isirulu xi testijiet hekk kif jista’ jagħti l-każ li jiżviluppawlu xi kumplikazzjonijiet ta’ saħħa f’għajnejh.Sadattant il-Pulizija ssekwestraw żewġ vetturi, il-BMW tar-raġel arrestat u oħra ta’ lewn abjad tat-tip Audi, it-tnejn bi pjanċi barranin. L-investigazzjonijiet tal-Pulizija għadhom għaddejjin.
Posted by Pou Gwu on Saturday, 13 February 2016

Attempts to contact the man's lawyer proved futile, and consequently, the court adjourned the arraignment for tomorrow at 9am.

The man was arrested yesterday at around 11:30am during roadchecks at the Ta’ Srina roundabout, limits of Mdina, after he was spotted driving a white BMW with foreign registration plates. In a statment, the police communication's office said that upon being asked for the car's documentation, the driver punched Inspector Sergio Pisani in the face, injuring him in the process.

The police inspector, who was accompanied by two other officers, was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital to be treated for his injuries. His injuries are not considered serious, but according to Sandro Camilleri, the President of the Police Officers’ Union (POU-GWU), the police inspector suffered a concussion and bruises to his face.

The President of the Police Officers’ Union said the driver was seen “beating up his wife” in the car before he was stopped by the police close to a stall selling flowers and other Valentine’s Day items. Contacted by MaltaToday, the police's communications office said that it could only confirm that the driver was stopped in a road check.

Condemning the attack, Camilleri also said that the man has a lengthy criminal record and had previously assaulted other police officers.