A Russian man was taken to court yesterday, charged with firing a handgun at a football club in Naxxar on Saturday evening.

Before magistrate Edwina Grima, Naxxar resident Simon Aydelman, 48, pleaded guilty to firing a Browning pistol and holding people against their will at the Naxxar Lions Football Club in Pjazza Vittorja, and using violence against police constables Martin Gerald Gatt and Lorraine Mifsud.

The incident happened at about 8.45pm, allegedly after someone at the football club played a joke on Mr Aydelman by hiding his bike gloves.

Reportedly, the Russian seemed angry when he didn’t find his gloves and he left the club, returning with a pistol some time later and pointing the firearm at the police constables when they arrived on site.

He pleaded guilty to firing the handgun in an inhabited area and being in possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.

According to the charge sheet, the firearm had been reported stolen in 2003. It had been stolen together with other items from a property in Swieqi.

Police inspectors Anthony Portelli and Bernard Charles Spiteri prosecuted, while lawyers Gianella Caruana Curran and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared for the accused.

Although he pleaded guilty, he was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €8,000, since the inquiry into the case has not yet been concluded.