Drug kingpin Jordan Azzopardi jailed over 2015 assault

Jordan Azzopardi, 32, of Iklin, was sentenced to seven months in prison after being found guilty of threatening two persons and assaulting a man.

Azzopardi, who is accused, in separate proceedings, of running a sophisticated drug trafficking operation, was charged, together with another person with having assaulted a man, tearing off his clothes in the process,in June 2015 as well as threatening the victim and a woman.

He had initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea at a late stage in proceedings, after the prosecution had closed its submissions.

Deciding the case, presiding magistrate Nadine Lia observed that Azzopardi had never shown remorse, nor apologised to the victim, noting that he had admitted the charges only after 33 court sittings had already been held.

The prosecution and defence had both suggested a suspended sentence for the accused, but the magistrate disagreed, pointing out that this was not just a fight between friends that had escalated, but was rather a premeditated attack on someone who had been assaulted in public. The attack was so savage that the victim’s clothes were torn off and he had ended up naked in the street and had required hospital treatment for his injuries, noted the court.

“This kind of behaviour is not acceptable in society and the court believes that a suspended sentence is not enough in the circumstances,” said the magistrate.

The court also imposed a 3 year restraining order in favour of the victims, which will begin to apply once Azzopardi has served his sentence.

Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted.