A 22-year old youth from Marsaskala earned himself a dressing-down by a magistrate after he reacted disrespectfully to being remanded in custody.

The youth was accused of having on 4 February attacked and resisted police, slightly injuring two officers, insulting and threatening four of them and disobeying their orders. Azzopardi was also accused of attacking his parents without causing injury. He was further charged with causing his parents to fear violence, breaching bail and breaching a probation order.

The police asked for the revocation of the man’s bail and the confiscation of his €4000 bail bond.

Inspector Eman Hayman, prosecuting, explained that this was a domestic violence case. “There is trouble between the accused and his mother.

The man’s mother and father are mobility-impaired. After an argument that dragged on for over a day, the police were called. When the police went to arrest him and he said they needed a warrant. The officers explained that they didn’t, but the man resisted arrest.

The court took the opportunity to repeat that the police should be protected in their duties. “Nobody is excused -whatever the reason- for threatening a police officer or injuring them.

“Police orders should be immediately obeyed and respect should be shown to every official always and everywhere. This respect should show more clearly in situations where there is some tension.”

The court noted that disobedience and physical resistance was on the rise and some officers were grievously injured in carrying out their duties. “The court doesn’t want Police officers to be demoralised by this. They have a right to return home in one piece, uninjured.”

Defence lawyer Raisa Colombo entered a not guilty plea but did not request bail in the circumstances.

At that point, the youth tried to storm out of the courtroom and was dragged back in. The accused answered back when the magistrate demanded he be quiet and listen. The accused then tried to ask for bail himself but his request was drowned out by the raised voices in the courtroom. The magistrate warned the man to let the police to do their work or be jailed for contempt.

He was remanded in custody.