Man admits to biting police officer at Mater Dei Hospital

A 53-year-old man from Marsascala was handed a suspended sentence and ordered to pay a hefty fine after he admitted to biting a police officer at Mater Dei Hospital.

Chinese national Jianlin Shen was arraigned in court before magistrate Doreen Clarke this afternoon, charged with attacking, insulting and threatening a public servant in the course of his duties and disobeying legitimate orders.

Inspector Jonathan Ransley, prosecuting, told the court how the accused had been admitted to Mater Dei hospital on 24 January, after being involved in a fight in Marsascala. Whilst in hospital, the man had locked himself in a bathroom and refused to come outside. The police were called to assist.

An officer knocked on the door and eventually convinced the man to open the door, at which point the accused had bitten him.

Asked what he was responding to the charges against him, Shen pleaded guilty.

Finding him guilty on his own admission, the court sentenced him to imprisonment for six months, suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay a €4,000 fine.

Following a request by defence lawyer Jason Grima, the court permitted Shen to pay the fine in monthly instalments of €500.