Man who sawed off handcuffs and jumped out of a window to escape police is denied bail

John Lawrence Formosa, 40, sawed off his handcuffs and jumped out of a window to escape the police who were searching his house, a court heard this morning.

Formosa had previously ran out of the Bormla police station where he went to sign the bail book after a police officer confronted him about a recent theft.

The man dashed to his house in the same locality, where police eventually arrested him and carried out a search of the place. It was here that Formosa, who has a colourful criminal record, managed in some way to saw off his handcuffs and escape a second time.

After being arrested again, Formosa alleged he was mistreated by the police.

Formosa was charged in court this morning on several counts, including making a false report against two officers, perverting the course of justice, threatening police officers, escaping from custody and damaging a pair of handcuffs.

The man failed to convince the court of his trustworthiness and was denied bail by Magistrate Grazio Mercieca.

Formosa was out on bail on a different case at the time of his arrest.

Inspector Josric Mifsud explained that Formosa was rearrested at his residence and handcuffed while police carried out a search for stolen item.

Mifsud explained how the man managed to give police the slip by leaping out of a first floor window.

Legal aid lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar filed a not guilty plea on behalf of his client.

“I’m the victim,” Formosa told the court. He alleged that he had been assaulted by police, although Inspector Mifsud said this claim was not borne out by a subsequent medical examination.  A magistraterial enquiry was intiated yesterday on the alleged beating by the police, the inspector confirmed.

The defence requested bail, which was objected to by the prosecution who pointed out that the accused had escaped from police custody twice in one day.

Mifsud Cutajar said the prosecution was questioning the trustworthiness of the accused. “In most cases, the defence has little to say. This case is different. We have a person who already, because of another case, signs at the Bormla police station every day. He is a local with an address in Bormla and who is well known to the police, giving his past brushes with the law. There is a history of this person showing himself to be trustworthy in this regard,” the lawyer said.

The lawyer said Formosa had “a moment of panic” when the police officer at the station accused him of stealing a number of items, leading him to return back home.

“The question is not whether he escaped or not, but whether he is trustworthy to obey bail conditions,” the defence said, adding the man was already under a strict regime of signing the bail book every day.

The lawyer said the accused had suffered injuries, which he claimed were inflicted by police officers and into which there is an ongoing internal inquiry.

However, the court, said it was not convinced the accused would observe his bail conditions if this was granted and denied bail.

After the magistrate delivered his decision, the accused interjected and took off his jacket to show the court some scratches on his arms. “I got beaten up and I’m going to prison… I’m the victim,” he sniffled.