A 46-year-old man ended up in court after allegedly trying to steal a police inspector’s car in Paceville yesterday afternoon.

Inspector Pierre Micallef Grimaud was in Church Street, Paceville, when he spotted Gzira resident Simon Chircop attempting to steal his private vehicle, and promptly arrested him.

In court, prosecuting inspector Trevor Micallef said that while under arrest, Mr Chircop also threatened to damage his colleague’s vehicle.

Mr Chircop faced eight charges in all, including attempted theft, causing damage to the car, the unlawful possession of a knife, as well as threatening Insp. Micallef Grimaud and threatening to damage his property. He was also charged with carrying out several thefts in the previous months.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and legal aid lawyer Noel Bartolo requested bail.

But this request was strongly opposed by Insp. Micallef, and Magistrate Neville Camilleri, after taking into consideration the circumstances of the case, the nature of the charges and Mr Chircop’s criminal record, denied bail, citing the risk of evidence being tampered with and that he was not convinced by the defendant’s reliability.