Man claims he assaulted police officer for smoking in his Alfa Romeo

Accused had been driving without a licence and no insurance cover

A court has been told that a man, charged with assaulting two policemen in a roadside check outside the St Julian’s tunnels last week, had been upset by the fact that one of the officers had been smoking a cigarette when he was about to climb into his Alfa Romeo.

Terence Grixti, 34, had been driving towards Valletta, when he was flagged down by two police officers.

The officers had discovered that the man was driving without a licence and no insurance cover, and had radioed for a police tow truck to come.

A police constable had told the court that at around 6:30pm on Sunday, 15 September, the driver had at first been cooperative, but had become agitated during the 45 minute wait for the tow truck.

At a point he had started to taunt the officers, telling them “now you wait and see. Now I’ll tell you who I am.”

The situation had deteriorated upon the arrival of the tow-truck as the accused’s lawyers argued that the driver had refused to allow the policeman to enter his Alfa whilst smoking a cigarette.

Cross-examined by defence lawyer Franco Debono, the officer denied having done so, saying that he had only smoked whilst waiting for the arrival of the tow truck. Grixti had reacted violently when ordered to hand over his car key, he said.

The officer had admitted that he had been carrying a cigarette packet in his uniform pocket, but insisted that he had not been smoking at the time.

The officer had allegedly been punched after being instructed by his superior to drive the Alfa Romeo, “an old model worth some €2,000”, onto the truck.

The accused had later claimed in his statement that in the ensuing scuffle he had allegedly been struck with a handcuff.

However, prosecuting Inspector Joseph Xerri said at the witness stand that the accused had refused medical assistance.

After the first hearing, the court, presided over by magistrate Ian Farrugia, granted the accused bail against a deposit of €1,000, a personal guarantee of €1,000, a curfew and an order to sign the bail book once a week.

The case continues.

Lawyer Amadeus Cachia was also defence counsel.