A Russian sailor was yesterday fined Lm100 for assaulting three police officers.

Vasily Maslov, 43, was accused of assaulting three police officers and resisting arrest on the night between 2 and 3 March in Valletta. He was also accused of damaging the officers’ uniforms, being drunk and disorderly and breaching the peace.

The man had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail against a deposit of Lm250 and a personal guarantee of Lm250.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Dennis Montebello, had also ordered the Russian man to hand over his passport for fear that he might have left the country while the legal proceedings against him were still ongoing. He then changed his plea to guilty and the court fined him Lm100.

The prosecution was led by Inspector Alfred Mallia.