Man charged with breaching nine bail decrees

Terence Cini, a 41-year-old Qormi man who is well known to the courts, was charged on Tuesday afternoon with breaching nine separate sets of bail conditions, as well as harassing, insulting, and threatening a man through telecommunications equipment.

The alleged victim is understood to be in a relationship with Cini’s former partner.

Inspector Roderick Attard told the court that Qormi police received a report from a man who said he had received five voice messages through Messenger from a profile belonging to Cini between 15 August and 25 September 2026.

The man had not initially noticed the messages but discovered them on 25 September. After listening to them, he filed a police report.

The messages allegedly contained derogatory remarks, insults and threats directed at the man.

Cini was subsequently arrested but requested medical assistance and was taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was kept for observation. He was later granted police bail and was arraigned once this expired.

Defence contests validity of arrest

During the arraignment, Cini’s lawyers challenged the validity of his arrest, arguing that the inspector had failed to provide the court with all the relevant information when applying for a second arrest warrant.

The defence maintained that the original arrest warrant remained valid despite Cini having been granted police bail and that there had therefore been no need to obtain a second warrant.

Inspector Roderick Attard disagreed, arguing that a fresh warrant was necessary after Cini was granted police bail.

He also stressed that Cini was being charged with breaching nine separate bail decrees, which was extremely serious and that the accused requested hospital treatment solely as a means of delaying an arraignment and creating a procedural loophole.

The defence rejected the suggestion, insisting that Cini had requested medical assistance and had subsequently been kept at Mater Dei Hospital for observation.

The court ultimately declared the arrest valid.

Cini pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyers making a fresh request for bail.

The prosecution objected, pointing to Cini’s criminal record and arguing that there was a risk of him interfering with witnesses who had yet to testify and whom the accused knew personally.

The defence countered that a number of the messages forming the basis of the charges dated back to August and were already in police possession, arguing that there was no real risk of Cini tampering with evidence or interfering with the proceedings.

The court denied Cini bail.

Cini’s ninth bail was granted in November 2023 in connection with proceedings in which he is accused of attempting to bribe a prosecution witness.  

In that case, the Attorney General had unsuccessfully challenged the decision to grant him bail, arguing that the alleged offence, if proven, would amount to a breach of several previous bail decrees.

The Criminal Court ultimately upheld the bail decision.

Inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Alfred Abela appeared for Cini.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo presided over the arraignment.