A Polish man presently in Malta on holiday was yesterday fined Lm300 after he was found guilty of damaging a hotel lift after getting stuck inside it following a mechanical fault.

Sebastian Pawel Misiura, 20, from Poland, pleaded not guilty to damaging the lift at the Fortina Hotel in Sliema, resisting the police and slightly injuring a hotel employee.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard how Misiura was in the services lift, which is not meant to be used by hotel guests. The lift developed a mechanical fault and stopped and Misiura, who was under the influence of alcohol, started banging and kicking the lift, and even broke the mirror inside.

The incident took place at around 2.15am yesterday morning. The court heard how when three of the hotel’s employees opened the lift to let the hotel guest out, he became aggressive and assaulted one of them.

The police said that when they arrived on scene, Misiura was aggressive with them and the accused continued his aggressive behaviour at the Sliema police station.

Magistrate Quintano fined the accused Lm300.

Police Inspector Romina Veneziani prosecuted while Dr Richard Sladden appeared for the accused.