Syrian placed on probation after drug chase

A San Gwann man of Syrian extraction was fined €3800 and placed under a probation order after he pleaded guilty to drug charges and resisting arrest.

Alnafouri Mohamad Nour, 20, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cannabis resin, threatening or injuring a public servant in the carrying out of his duties, disobeying legitimate police orders, breaching the peace, damaging a vehicle belonging to a third party, breaching bail conditions and relapsing.

Inspector Pierre Grech told the court how Nour had been noticed by a police patrol last Sunday not wearing a seatbelt. As they were pursuing his vehicle, he was seen throwing foil-covered objects, later found to be containing a brown substance which turned out to be cannabis, from the car window. The police car turned on its beacon lights and gave chase, stopping the vehicle shortly after and arresting the man.

One policeman accompanied Nour on foot to the place where he had been observed disposing of the foil-covered objects, while one policeman went back to retrieve the police car, which had stopped some distance away.

The accused then attempted to squash the foil packages, struggling with the remaining police officer. In the ensuing struggle, a parked car was damaged, the rear light being smashed and the policeman guarding Nour knocked to the ground, injuring his shoulder.

Nour then climbed on top of him and tried to get passersby to get rid of the drugs.

The accused appeared in court assisted by lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran and admitted to the charges. 

Nour is no stranger to trouble with the law. He had been arrested last March for drug possession with intent to traffic and jailed for a month the following July for breaching his curfew.

He bound himself to make good for the damages suffered by the car owner, whom he said he knew and respected.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli ordered that he be placed under a two-year probation order and fined him €3800.

The magistrate explained to the accused that he would have to attend meetings and obey the direction of his probation officer. If he capriciously failed to do so, she said, there would be consequences, telling him that he could have been jailed for this offence.