30-year-old man fined for cannabis possession

A courtroom was stunned this morning, when a policeman called for Joseph Muscat to answer to charges of cannabis possession.

The shocked expressions changed to smiles, however, when a person who was clearly not the Prime Minister ambled into the courtroom, scruffily dressed and wearing a comically short tie.

Police inspector Malcolm Bondin told the court that 30-year-old Muscat, who lives in Marsascala, had been found in possession of a very small amount of the drug, which was clearly for his personal use.

Muscat had previously been convicted of similar charges of cannabis possession in 2011, being handed a three-year probation order on that occasion.

Lawyer Mark Busuttil told the court that Muscat was combating his drug habit with the help of the Assessment Stabilisation Unit and had demonstrated motivation in these efforts.

The court noted that the offence had taken place after the lapse of the probation order and was therefore not a breach of it, but found Muscat guilty of simple possession of cannabis, fining him €140 under the new drugs laws.