A 27-year-old from Kirkop was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to assaulting a bus driver on Sunday.

A court heard how the argument started over an expired bus ticket.

Omar Joseph Trabelsi was charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to the 40-year-old driver, causing him slight injuries, as well as threatening, molesting and assaulting the victim.  

The prosecution objected to granting bail to the accused, saying that the main witness was the victim and that, since the accused used the bus regularly there was a chance that he could approach the victim.

The defence argued that the driver had only been slightly injured. It also questioned why the only civilian witness had not been brought to testify.

Lawyer Yanika Camilleri said Mr Trabelsi had a fixed residence, a stable job and a family who resided in Malta. As such there was no fear that he would abscond.

Magistrate Grazio Mercieca, presiding over the case, denied bail because of the possibility that evidence would the tampered with.

Inspectors Priscilla Caruana Lee and Jeffrey Scicluna prosecuted.