Philip Attard, 38, from Tarxien, was charged, among other things, with making false accusations against the police. He is currently on probation having been taken to court on similar charges in June last year.

Sources close to the investigation said that when Attard was stopped in Paceville by police early last Sunday, he allegedly refused to take a breathalyser test and started shouting and calling the officers corrupt. Since he was a bit drunk, said the source, the man was taken to the police station where he continued verbally abusing the police. He supposedly again accused them of being corrupt and said they were only doing their job for the money.

Attard was not only charged with dishonouring the police force but also with defaming Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg and Police Commissioner John Rizzo.

During his arrest, Attard allegedly threatened he would telephone the prime minister, the deputy prime minister and the commissioner to tell them that the police who arrested him were corrupt. He claimed that Tonio Borg personally told him that a breathalyser test can only be done 24 hours after arrest. Attard also allegedly threatened Dr Mario Grixti at the Gzira Policlinic and claimed he wanted to hit prosecuting officer Mario Tonna with an ashtray.

In his initial report the accused said the police had man-handled him and had taken the thousands of liri he supposedly had in his car. While making his official statement, however, Attard made no reference to these accusations.

He was also charged with planting false evidence, preventing officers of the law from doing their job, breaching the peace, blaspheming and breaching the terms of a probation order.

The accused was remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court was presided over by magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna.