Maximilian Ciantar was granted bail in the case involving three journalists whom he is accused of threatening, and who testified yesterday, but he remained in custody over other court proceedings against him.

Mr Ciantar is accused of assaulting The Times’ Waylon Johnston and of threatening Mr Johnston, Media.link journalist Ray Abdilla and Union Print journalist Gaetano Micallef on 21 November while he was in court over charges that he violated a driving ban.

The 22-year-old Marsa resident had never obtained a driving licence, and had received a 10-year driving ban – subsequently revised to six months on appeal – and a two-year jail term after he was convicted of reckless driving which ended in him mowing down two 11-year-old girls in Attard on April 2010. He was caught driving just days after his release from prison – having served 16 months in detention due to deductions for good behaviour.

He had been granted bail in connection with the driving ban violation and was granted bail again over the journalists’ incident the next day, but both bail orders were revoked on appeal days later.

In court, the three journalists largely corroborated each other’s testimony. Mr Johnston was first to speak, stating that early on in the proceedings on the day, Mr Ciantar told the journalists that they could either leave or be kicked out.

As he left the hall, he said, a handcuffed Mr Ciantar, whose bail deposit had not yet been paid, suddenly lunged at him and tried to kick him, but was restrained by the police.

Mr Abdilla then said that he did not witness this incident: He received a phone call a few minutes earlier and had left the hall to answer it. He was in the press room when the incident occurred, and stepped out when he heard a commotion.

But he could confirm what Mr Ciantar had earlier told journalists, adding that the threat was made in a low voice. During cross-examination by lawyer Joe Brincat, he said that the threat did not scare him.

Mr Micallef, on the other hand, left the hall at the same time as Mr Johnston, and said that Mr Ciantar tried to kick his colleague but did not manage to because the police restrained him. He said that while the threat made earlier felt slightly worrying, the journalists stayed on because the situation soon calmed down.

During cross-examination, the journalist confirmed that the group did not report the alleged threat before the second incident happened, and said he imagined that it was not heard by Magistrate Padovani.

The final witness on the day was PC Leeroy Balzan Engerer, who was one of the police officers escorting Mr Ciantar. The officer said that before he attempted to assault Mr Johnston, Mr Ciantar motioned him in a manner which led him to believe that he wanted to talk to his father, who had fallen slightly behind as they were leaving the hall.

Instead, PC Balzan Engerer said, Mr Ciantar tried to rush towards Mr Johnston, only to be quickly restrained. The closest Mr Ciantar got to Mr Johnston was around five metres, the officer said: They would have kept closer to him if he was any closer to them.

Dr Brincat asked for bail after pointing out that the main witnesses had been heard. Prosecuting inspector Daniel Zammit objected, but bail was granted by Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona against a personal guarantee of €2,000.

Despite being granted bail, however, Mr Ciantar remained behind bars since he was remanded in custody over his alleged violation of a driving ban.