A man who was shot in the leg by police as he was allegedly trying to flee the scene of a robbery was yesterday charged with the attempted murder of a police officer and theft.

Kevin Gatt, 26, from Ghaxaq walked into the courtroom limping and with a visible wound on the left side of his face.

He was charged with attempting to murder Police Constable Christopher De Brincat when he allegedly drove a car in his direction. That was when Mr Gatt was shot in the leg, a prosecuting officer told the court yesterday.

Mr Gatt was also charged with assaulting Mr De Brincat and another police constable, Gabriel Micallef, threatening them, disobeying police orders, stealing a Honda Civic from Paola, stealing several items from Centro Casalinga in Santa Venera and from Sphinx Pastizzeria, also in Santa Venera, damaging a police vehicle and the stolen Honda, damaging the pastizzeria, damaging property belonging to Police Constable De Brincat and relapsing.

Before Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna, Mr Gatt pleaded guilty to some of the charges brought against him, namely those of disobeying police orders, stealing several items from Sphinx Pastizzeria and damaging the police vehicle and the Honda.

Prosecuting officer Mario Bonnici explained that the police were informed about a robbery in Santa Venera and when the Mobile Squad arrived on the scene, they noticed a parked car in front of Sphinx Pastizzeria.

He said the police car blocked the car but Mr Gatt, who he said was in the driver’s seat, rammed the police car.

He said that since PC De Brincat’s life was in danger, he used his weapon to stop the robber and the bullet penetrated the windscreen and Mr Gatt’s leg.

Although injured, inspector Bonnici said, Mr Gatt and another robber ran off in opposite direction but Mr Gatt, who could barely walk, was apprehended easily.

Inspector Bonnici said the Honda Civic which was being driven by Mr Gatt had been stolen from Paola on 19 October and had been used in a robbery from Centro Casalinga that night.

He said the investigators were still looking for the other robber who managed to escape and in fact filed an application before the magistrate drawing up the magisterial inquiry for permission to examine Mr Gatt’s mobile phone with the hope of tracking down the other man.

Magistrate Apap Bologna turned down Mr Gatt’s request for bail but ordered that he be transferred to the St Michael’s Ward at St Luke’s Hospital since he had been released from hospital just a few hours after surgery.

Police Inspectors Mario Bonnici and Michael Mallia prosecuted while Dr Joe Giglio appeared for the accused.