A Qormi man who made several threatening and offensive phone calls to a police inspector who was investigating him for threatening an ex-partner has been remanded in custody earlier today.

Plasterer Frankie Falzon, 40, was arraigned before magistrate Josette Demicoli by Inspector Lydon Zammit this morning. Inspector Zammit explained how he had been told by his colleague Inspector Joseph Busuttil that Falzon, whom he was prosecuting for making threats to and stalking an ex-partner, had been phoning him up, calling him “corrupt” and saying that he “knew people in prison who are ready for you.”

Inspector Busuttil had received three half-hour long phone calls from the man, he said.

Officers had arrested the man at home. Under questioning he had backtracked, saying that he didn’t mean to threaten the officer.

Falzon didn’t reply to any of the questions put to him by the court today.

A not guilty plea was filed by his lawyer, Ishmael Psaila, who also requested bail.

Inspector Zammit objected to bail, pointing to the nature of the charges and saying that Falzon had already done research on the inspector and had spoken to people about it.

Another reason for the court to refuse bail, he said, was that the man had several previous court sentences which showed his true character. He had also breached bail after less than three weeks from his last arraignment. He was already charged with disobeying court orders, said the inspector.

Psaila argued that the fact that the man had cooperated with the police certainly didn’t point to guilt. There was no fear that he would tamper with evidence, said the lawyer. Denying bail would harm his work prospects and quality of life, he argued.

The court, after hearing the submissions on bail and after seeing the man’s criminal record, ordered that he be remanded in custody.