Drunkard assaulted police after shouting and banging on phone booth

A 19-year-old man was this morning handed an 18-month jail term suspended for three years after admitting to assaulting two police officials during the early hours of Monday morning.

Ahmed Mooge Ahmed, 19, of Somalia, also admitted to disobeying police orders, to being in a drunken state, and to breaching public peace.

The incident occurred on Monday morning at about 5:45 am, when patrolling officers spotted the accused shouting at and banging on a telephone box in Paceville. The officers subsequently approached the man to calm down the situation.

However, the youth, who was in a drunken state, took exception at the police’s presence and grabbed PC Daniel Zammit by the neck and also tried to bite PC Joseph Camilleri before being arrested.

In its submissions, the defence held that the accused was a first-time offender and that he had cooperated with the police, consequently arguing that a suspended sentence would suffice.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman handed the man an 18-month imprisonment term suspended for three years.

Lawyer Noel Bartolo was legal aid while Inspector Elton Taliana prosecuted.