A 20-year-old man who has anger management problems and a lengthy police record was remanded in custody after he refused to take heed of advice given by a magistrate and his lawyer to be placed under a treatment order.

Josef Scerri, 20, from St Paul’s Bay, landed in the dock after causing a ruckus in court yesterday. Mr Scerri was appearing before Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit in separate proceedings. Sources explained that, at one point, as his girlfriend was testifying, the accused “lost it,” started swearing and stormed out of the courtroom. The Magistrate ordered his return but Mr Zammit allegedly assaulted the police officers who went to bring him back into the dock, slightly injuring a constable. 

Today he was arraigned before Magistrate Marseann Farrugia, charged with assaulting and threatening police officers, slightly injuring one of them, resisting arrest, breaching the peace, disobeying police orders and relapsing. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Inspector Daryl Borg, prosecuting, objected to the accused’s request for bail, noting that despite being only 20 years old, Mr Scerri had several past convictions. He had also served time behind bars and clearly had an anger management problem.

Legal Aid lawyer Christopher Chircop disagrees, saying that the accused would produce witnesses who would swear under oath that the truth is the contrary of what he is being accused with. Also, since prosecution witnesses would be police officers there was no danger of tampering with evidence. Dr Chircop said it was evident that Mr Scerri needed help, not a prison cell.

Magistrate Farrugia agreed that the accused needed help and strongly suggested that he be placed under a treatment order. A psychologist, she said, would determine what kind of help Mr Scerri needed and how he could control his temperament. The Magistrate said she was concerned that someone so young already had six prior convictions on his criminal record. Dr Chircop repeatedly told Mr Scerri to “go for it,” telling him he had nothing to worry about.

Mr Scerri, however, seemed confused and twice asked the court if accepting would land him in Mount Carmel Hospital. After some moments of hesitation, Mr Scerri seemed to be accepting to get help but then retracted and said he was refusing to consent to the treatment order.

The Magistrate said that, in view of his refusal and the long criminal record, she was refusing the request for bail.