Man accused of threatening family to extort drug money for second time this month

A man was remanded in custody on Tuesday, accused of threatening family members to extort drug money for the second time this month.

Inspector Omar Zammit charged the 36-year-old Qormi resident with having threatened his parents and other family members and causing them to fear violence. He was also accused of breaching a restraining order imposed on May 23. The prosecution requested a protection order.

Inspector Zammit explained that the defendant’s parents had filed a police report, explaining that their son would threaten them and would raise hell when they refused to give him money to buy drugs.

The report was later updated on 30 May, after the man had gone to his mother’s house to demand money, but left empty handed because his brother had confronted him. The man had then proceeded to do the same at his grandmother’s house. 

The man was arrested yesterday, on the strength of a warrant issued by the duty magistrate.

The court was told that the defendant had been convicted of similar offences a fortnight ago, for which he had been placed on probation,

The man, assisted by legal aid lawyer Martin Farrugia, pleaded not guilty. The defence requested bail.

Inspector Zammit objected, citing the early stage of the proceedings and the fact that three close relatives had yet to testify. “Less than two weeks ago he had been arraigned on similar charges involving his parents and had been placed on probation after pleading guilty.”

Lawyer Frank Anthony Tabone, assisting the parte civile concurred. “We are talking about a person with a strong drug problem, who had dropped out of a drug rehabilitation program. “We are talking about a person who doesn’t care a fig about court orders. There is no saying whether he will obey his bail conditions. It would be beneficial, also for the defendant, that he be offered treatment for drug addiction.”

Farrugia told the court that the defendant had already decided to seek treatment voluntarily and that this should be rewarded.

The court, after hearing submissions on bail and the testimony of his partner, who had offered to act as a guarantor, denied the request for his release from arrest.

The nature of the offences which the man was being accused of and the fact that his alleged victims, who are also family members, had not yet testified, were given as the reasons for the refusal.

As it had emerged that the man had drug addiction problems, the court made a recommendation to the prison authorities to provide him with the assistance he required. He was also placed under a temporary supervision order.

At that moment, the defendant turned towards his parents, who were in the courtroom and told them that it was “their fault.” He was ordered to be quiet by the police, with the court suggesting he would be facing additional charges if he continued.

A protection order was also issued.

The court imposed a ban on the publication of the names of the defendant and his alleged victims, after upholding a request by the parties.

Lawyer Martin Farrugia assisted the defendant as legal aid for the purposes of the man’s arraignment. Lawyer Frank Anthony Tabone, Arthur Azzopardi and Jenilee Agius assisted the alleged victims.