Italian who threatened to ‘burn policeman’ placed under bill of indictment

Vincenzo Brancaccio, a 48-year-old Italian man who is facing charges of assaulting and threatening “to burn a police officer” after being warned to turn off loud music in Paceville, was today placed under a bill of indictment.

Testifying during the compilation of evidence against Brancaccio, the manager of O’ Sarracino Bar in Paceville, Police Sergeant Ramon Mifsud told the court that on 7 September, he and two police constables went to the club at around 5:30am after they received several complaints of loud music.

“Upon arriving I found two people singing Karaoke. I grabbed their microphone, and asked who was responsible for the club. At this point, Brancaccio [the accused] started hurling insults at us [the police] and told us that we were interfering in his business,” he said.

The sergeant said that after ordering the accused to give him the necessary permits and documents, the accused “became aggressive,” and allegedly told him “Io a te, ti brucio,” (I will burn you) for at least three times.  

“After hearing him repeatedly hurling insults, two clients pulled him away. I then started talking to the owner of the club – the accused’s wife – and things calmed down,” he said.

However, the police said that the accused managed to pull away and continued to hurl insults at the police.

“After he started hurling insults again, I could not take it anymore. When the police tried to arrest him, he pushed me away and assaulted two other police officers,” he said.

The sergeant said that the police had to use two handcuffs to subdue the accused, and that once they arrived at the police station, the accused continued to hurl insults at the police.

The court, presided by Magistrate Anthony Micallef Trigona, decreed that there is enough prima facie evidence against the accused and placed him under a bill of indictment.

Brancaccio is also pleading not guilty to assaulting and threatening police officials, to breaching public peace, to disobeying police orders, and to being in a drunken state.

Lawyer Joe Giglio was defence counsel while Inspector Jason Francis Sultana prosecuted.