A 22-year-old man from Somalia was handed down a six-month prison sentence after he was found guilty of throwing rocks at a vehicle being driven in Marsa, and damaging it.

A court heard how on 7 April 2016, the police received a report saying that a dark-skinned person (or persons) was throwing rocks at cars driving through Aldo Moro Street in Marsa. When the police arrived on site, the police found Abiib Adan Hamze being held by other immigrants.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke heard how in a separate report, the police said that the accused stood in the middle of the street and once the car of the victim stopped, Hamze jumped on the bonnet of the car and tried to climb over the roof of the same vehicle. The car owner started to sound the horn and drove off once the man jumped of the roof of the car.

The police said that when they arrived on site, the accused started kicking the police car. While in the car, the man started to spit on the floor and towards the police officers as he started to offend them.

He was later taken to the police station in Hamrun. While at the police station, the man kept offending the police officers and tried to attack the victim who filed the report.

While in the lock-up, the man tried to bite his own leg and started to allege that he was beaten by the police. Later, the accused told a doctor that he was under the influence of cocaine. However, when blood tests were carried out, it was found that the results were normal and only a small percentage of alcohol was present.

Hamze had been previously arrested for attempted theft of a handbag from National Road in Hamrun. The case dates back to February of this year. Magistrate Doreen Clarke had found him guilty of the charges and he was handed a three-month suspended sentence.

The court also found him guilty of the charges brought against him in the most recent case and sentenced him to a total of six months in prison.