Updated | €5,000 fine, suspended sentence for assaulting police officer during MEPA action

The courts have punished a man who threatened police officers carrying out a MEPA enforcement action yesterday, handing him a suspended prison sentence, together with a €5,000 fine.

Alexander Abela, 43, from Zejtun admitted the charges; of assaulting and threatening a public official, assaulting a police constable, threatening a police inspector and another constable, swearing in public, disobeying police orders and breaching the peace. He also pleaded guilty to storing a loaded shotgun at his place of residence. 

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard how Abela and his son had attacked MEPA officials carrying out an enforcement action, against an illegal scrapyard owned by the accused, in Zejtun.

News reports yesterday said that Abela had confronted the officials, also assaulting a police officer. Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) backup were summoned to assist.

Abela’s 16-year-old son, emerged on a balcony brandishing what was later found to be a toy gun. He was also arrested, but has not yet been charged. 

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit noted Abela's early guilty plea and apology to the officers. She fined the accused €5,000 and handed him an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for two years. The fine was immediately settled in the courtroom. The court also ordered the seizure of the Beretta shotgun. 

Inspector Jurgen Vella from the ALE prosecuted.

Lawyers Andy Ellul, Vince Micallef and Stephanie Abela appeared for the accused. 

MEPA 'to remain resolute' on stamping out illegalities

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has said that it will remain resolute in its desire to stamp out development illegalities especially those which impinge on neighbouring residents or are negatively impacting sites of environmental or heritage value.

The authority issued a statement after a man and his son were arrested for assaulting and threatening police during an enforcement operation it was carrying out in Zejtun yesterday.

Mepa enforcement officers, together with members of the Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU) and the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) were doing their duty when they turned up to demolish an illegally constructed garage and boundary wall and clear away dumped construction material, vehicles and scrap parts from a site in Triq il-Faqqus in Zejtun. The field, the statement adds, is situated outside the development boundaries (ODZ) and across a residential area.

They were then confronted by the owner, who allegedly assaulted one of the officials, when the man's son turned up brandishing what looked like a gun, while he threatened the police, only to be overpowered and arrested along with his father.  Eventually, the gun turned out to be toy.

While pointing out the difficulties that its enforcement officers face in their daily duties and thanking the police for their timely action, MEPA added that it would continue to do what was necessary to fight illegalities.