Motorist found to be four times over limit, attacked police after car accident, court told

A drunk driver has been charged after allegedly attacking and threatening police officers who went to the scene of a car accident which he had been involved in yesterday evening.

Inspector Jannetta Grixti arraigned Freeport worker Andre Mamo, 34, of Birzebbuga before magistrate Lara Lanfranco on Friday.

Mamo was charged with insulting and threatening police officers, attacking or resisting a police officer during the execution of the officer’s duties, slightly injuring a police officer, damaging officers’ uniforms and a mobile phone. He was also accused of drunk driving, breaching public order, swearing in public, disobeying legitimate police orders, failing to wear an anti-covid mask in public and recidivism.

Inspector Grixti told the court that yesterday, a bumper-to-bumper accident in Triq Ghar Dalam, Birzebbugia at around 7pm had led to a commotion to which the police were called. When they arrived at the scene, officers instructed the driver to move his car to the side of the road.

She said the accused had insisted with the officers that he was not at fault, and was told that this would be determined by the insurance companies, not the police. Mamo had then replied that he “didn’t give a fuck” and started shouting and threatening the officers, saying that he had a lot of friends and would pay them back.

The officers, smelling alcohol on his breath, had then administered a breathalyser test, finding him to be more than four times over the legal limit. “I’m dying to headbutt him” Mamo had told a police sergeant, referring to the officer administering the test.

The sergeant had tried to calm the belligerent man down, but the accused had continued to insult them, said the inspector, adding that at one point Mamo had tried to attack a police constable, slightly injuring him and causing damage to his uniform and mobile phone. Mamo was immediately arrested.

The prosecution requested the court issue a protection order in favour of the officers in question.

Mamo pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Charmaine Cherrett requested bail.

This was objected to by the prosecution, citing the nature of the offences and pointing out that he had threatened and vilified three officers in the course of their duties. There was a risk of him going back to carry out his threats, said inspector Grixti.

Cherrett pointed out that the witnesses were all police officers and that there was no fear of tampering with evidence. The accused was still presumed innocent, she reminded the court, adding that he had a stable job as a driver at the freeport and had a fixed place of residence. The court could impose any conditions, all the way up to house arrest, argued the lawyer.

The magistrate, reading the man’s criminal record, noted that he was being charged with recidivism, having been convicted of making threats and misuse of telecommunication equipment in 2015, for which he had been given probation.

Bail was granted, against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €3,000. Mamo was ordered to sign a bail book twice a week. A protection order was issued in favour of the police officers involved in the arrest.