Jimale Hassan Abdullahi, 27, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, after pleading guilty to causing grievous injuries to a police officer early this morning.

It is an extraordinary fast judgment considering that the crime committed was committed just 10 hours before the punishment was handed down. 

The Somali national entered the station at around 2.30am and asked to speak to a sergeant who was not present at the time. The constable, the police said, tried to explain that the sergeant was not on duty, with the Somali man insisting that he wanted to speak to him.

When the constable said that this was not possible, the man started to shout and attacked the officer. The constable phoned for assistance and other officers went on site, finding the Somali man shouting and acting in a violent way, the police said.

The man was then arrested and taken to a health centre where he was found to be suffering from slight injuries. The constable was taken to hospital where he was found to be suffering from grievous injuries – including a broken nose – but sent home.

In court, inspector Robert Vella requested a minimum of four year imprisonment."We can no longer be passive on such cases. This can't go on any longer. We've had slight injuries on police officers in the past, this time we have a police constable suffering grievous injuries," he said.

Abdullahi has a long list of past violent acts, and he has in the past been imprisioned for attacking another police officer.

The defence counsil argued that Abdullahi was provoked and that he was under the influence of alcohol when the incident happened. He argued that the case should not be used to send some form of message about violence on police officers. He added that the Somali expressed regret for his actions.

The court took into consideration the grievous injuries suffered, and the fact that the accused has relapsed, and handed Abdullahi a three-year and nine months prison sentence and a €4,500 fine.