An Appeals’ Court yesterday revoked a probation order handed down to a man after it ruled that the man had not committed a crime but had just breached the policies of the Detox Centre.

Brian Farrugia had originally been found guilty of being in possession of methadone, which is administered to drug addicts, outside the Detox Centre. The accused had told the police that he was given his dose of methadone which he spat out into a bottle so that he would not have to go back to the Detox Centre the following day.

Since this incident, the centre had issued regulations that methadone must be administered through the mouth under the supervision of a nurse. However, this rule was not in force when the defendant was found in possession of the 65ml of methadone.

Handing down his judgement, Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono said that Mr Farrugia had not committed a crime but had just breached the policies of the Detox Centre on the administration of methadone.

He therefore upheld the appeal and revoked the two-year probation order given to Farrugia by the Magistrate’s Court.

Dr Robert Abela appeared for the defendant.