Man who defended sister from ex charged for breaking police officer’s arm in scuffle

A scuffle at a police station between a man and his sister’s former partner ended up with a policeman suffering fractures.

In a sitting this morning, Duty Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard how 29-year-old Amadeo Brincat had fought with Joseph Zaffarese, his sister’s former partner, at the Bormla police station on 21 July. 

The argument erupted when the accused’s sister was filing a police report against Zaffarese for allegedly beating her up.

The police present at the station intervened to try and separate the men and one officer suffered a broken arm in the process.

Brincat was arraigned on charges of grievously injuring the officer, attacking or resisting him during the course of the victim’s duties, insulting or threatening a public officer and breaching the peace.

His lawyer, Albert Zerafa, entered a plea of not guilty, explaining that the injury was accidental. It was not inflicted voluntarily and was not directed at the police for doing their duty, he said.

Zerafa requested bail for Brincat, a construction worker from Bormla. The prosecution did not object to bail, telling the court that the accused had cooperated with the police.

The injured police officer had tried to intervene during the argument and was grievously injured as a result of the “slight resistance” of the accused, the court was told.

Magistrate Camilleri, after hearing both sides’ arguments and taking into account the circumstances, the accused’s criminal record and the history behind the incident, granted him bail against a €500 deposit and a personal guarantee of €5,000.

Brincat was also ordered to sign a bail book three times a week and observe a curfew.