A 37-year-old man was yesterday remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to the charges of extortion.

Marco Pace, from Qormi, was accused, before presiding magistrate Antonio Mizzi, of committing extortion between June and September.

He also pleaded not guilty to threatening a police inspector, a sergeant and two constables and damaging a cell at the Police Headquarters on 17 October.

However, magistrate Mizzi remanded Pace in custody until the alleged victim testifies in court.

Police Inspector Daniel Zammit prosecuted while Dr Giannella Caruana Curran appeared for the accused.