Driver charged with dragging police officer, death threats to third party

A man arrested over death threats and dangerous driving in which he nearly injured a police officer has been released on bail 

A man arrested over death threats and dangerous driving in which he nearly injured a police officer has appeared in court today, in a case which raised echoes of the caseof PC Simon Schembri, who was maimed after being dragged under a car he had stopped.

Melvin Debono, 30, from Paola told the court he was a car dealer during his arraignment before Magistrate Astrid May Grima on Friday morning.

Inspector Jonathan Cassar, prosecuting, together with Inspector Darren Buhagiar, told the court that Debono’s car had been stopped in Paceville on 30 June because it was playing abnormally loud music.

After speaking to the police for a few moments, Debono had driven off “with a police officer stuck to the car for a few paces,” said the inspector.

At the time, a police sergeant had been speaking to him when the accused suddenly became aggressive and drove off with the sergeant hanging off the door. The police were unable to stop the vehicle, which was later found in a Paola garage. Debono was found to be out on two separate bails and was wanted over death threats made to another person, said Cassar. Debono was subsequently arrested.

The case is expected to draw parallels with the case of PC Simon Schembri, who lost an arm in 2018 after being dragged under a car that he had stopped for a seat belt infraction.

Debono was charged with harassing and threatening another man and the misuse of electronic communications equipment. He was further charged with insulting and threatening a police officer in order to obstruct him from carrying out his duties, violently resisting the officer, disobeying legitimate orders, dangerous driving, driving without a seatbelt, having tinted glass, playing music at a disproportionately loud volume whilst driving and breaching two bail decrees. He was also accused of recidivism.

In court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and bail was requested.

In its submissions on bail, the prosecution explained that the victim of the threats had told the police that he wanted to withdraw the related charges but pointed out that the offence could be prosecuted by the police ex officio (without the complaint of the injured party).

Inspector Cassar told the court that the man had been out on two bails and had been found in Paceville breaching his curfew.

But the accused’s lawyer, Franco Debono, said the issue of the breach of bail was to be dealt with together with the merits of the case and not at the arraignment stage. A few weeks ago, the legislator removed the compulsory re-arrest in bail breach cases, pointed out the lawyer.

“This system whereby witnesses are not brought during the arraignment…brings about a situation where a person is under arrest because other persons have not been summoned to testify. But if the court finds that you have breached bail, it will punish you accordingly, so the breach of bail will remain no matter if you are released or not.”

“Everyone must respect the uniform, but in this case, there were no injuries,” Debono went on. The extent of the incident had to be taken into account, added the lawyer.

The court upheld the bail request, releasing him on bail – the man’s third concurrent release from arrest. He was ordered to sign a bail book every day and observe a revised curfew. Bail was secured with a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €20,000.

Inspectors Jonathan Cassar and Darren Buhagiar are prosecuting.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are defence counsel.