Youth involved in PlusOne collapse charged with violently resisting arrest

A Sliema youth connected to the collapse of a glass banister at Paceville's PlusOne club in November 2015 has appeared in court this morning, charged with violently resisting arrest.

Inspector Lara Butters accused 18-year-old Andrew Bugeja from Sliema of slightly injuring officers when he had refused to comply with police officers who had gone to execute an arrest warrant issued by Magistrate Ian Farrugia yesterday.

Three police officers are alleged to have been injured during the arrest, with one of the officers' uniforms also being damaged.

The accused is understood to be the subject of separate criminal proceedings for resisting police, an act which triggered a chain of events leading to the collapse of a glass balcony at PlusOne in which 80 people were injured.

Bugeja initially appeared unassisted, the inspector telling the court that his previous lawyer had renounced patronage and “wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.”

Lawyer Noel Bartolo, who happened to be present in the courtroom, volunteered to assist the accused as legal aid exclusively for the man's arraignment, after which another lawyer would have to be found.

Asked what he would be pleading, Bugeja replied “I am guilty of touching the officer with my leg. I never punched him - I had handcuffs on. He cursed my mother.” 


After trying to plead guilty to some, but not all, of the charges and being told that this was not possible, the accused filed a plea of not guilty. Bail was requested.

In her submissions objecting to bail, Inspector Lara Butters argued that the accused had already defied a court's authority and attacked the officers who had been carrying out its orders. People in uniform also deserved the court's protection, she argued.

The youth's defence lawyer, however, submitted there was no risk of the accused absconding or tampering with evidence as the witnesses are all police officers.

“We have to give this child a chance... He has explained to the court that he wanted to admit to some charges but not others, at this stage, where the presumption of innocence applies, we shouldn't throw him in prison. This case, honestly, does not merit his continued arrest or for the court to feel that he is not going to turn up.”

Magistrate Gabriella Vella released Bugeja from arrest against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €3,000, ordering him to keep away from the Sliema police station, except to sign his bail book.

The youth, who said he was going to start work today, did not have enough money for his deposit and begged to have the amount reduced to €200. This was allowed, with the court making it clear that this was to be an exception.