A man who raised a ruckus when police officers towed his car after it ran out of fuel in the middle of St Anne Street in Floriana threatened to run over a police Sergeant Major with his “V8,” a court heard today. The man, however, is insisting yesterday that he was very drunk on the day and did not know what he was doing.

Anthony Borg, 39, from St Paul’s Bay, stands accused of making false allegations against police officers, violently resisting arrest, making threats, driving under the influence of alcohol and without insurance and other traffic contraventions.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli heard how police officers came across Mr Borg’s abandoned Mercedes in St Anne Street on the morning of 1 August. The car was empty and unlocked. After searching unsuccessfully for the owner the officers called for the police tow truck. Mr Borg showed up with a petrol can in hand as the car was being secured to the tow truck and started shouting at the police officers, telling them that he had just gone to get fuel and that they could not tow the vehicle away.

Sergeant Major Dunstan Camilleri, from the police traffic section, said the car was being towed because, apart from the fact that it had been left in the middle of the road, it sported UK registration plates, despite being imported to Malta in 2011.

He said he tried to calm Mr Borg down, explaining to him why the car had to be taken to the police vehicle pound but the accused flew in a fit of rage. Mr Borg, who had a strong smell of alcohol, started swearing at the officer and resisting. At this point the accused was handcuffed.

“Mr Borg then started making allegations about me, insisting that I had had it in for him for 20 years. Later on, at the Valletta police station, he said he would make sure I was stripped of my uniform. He also turned to one of my colleagues and asked for a revolved so that he could empty it on me. I had never before suffered this sort of personal attack from anyone.” Mr Borg allegedly also refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

The Sergeant Major said the abuse continued at the Police HQ in Floriana, where Mr Borg allegedly claimed he would call PN MP Marthese Portelli and make a show of the officers on Net TV. He also said he would call Justice Minister Owen Bonnici and get them dismissed.  “He also kept insisting that he would run me over with his V8,” the officer said. During cross examination, the Sergeant Major said Mr Borg would have assaulted his fellow colleagues had he not held him by the belt. The accused, however, did not hit any police officers.

Another officer, Juan Mula Debono from the RIU, said Mr Borg shouted that it was clear that the country was back under a Labour government because police were “beating people up.” The sergeant said the accused told him he was not afraid of anyone and that he had been arrested seven times over hold-ups and three times over attempted murders. It was later confirmed in court that nothing of the sort had happened. The accused also told Sergeant Debono that the Sergeant Major “took commissions” from all Hamrun shops.

Another witness, Police Sergeant Reuben Buhagiar, said the accused challenged Inspector Sergio Pisani, the prosecuting officer, to a fight. “When we went to show him his car at the police garage he saw an oil patch under the vehicle and accused us of damaging his car. He then challenged Inspector Pisani to take off his uniform and fight him.” The following day, while being held in the court lock-up, he again threatened the inspector.

Another officer said Mr Borg was very aggressive while under police custody and claimed that he was beaten up but could not remember who the officers were. “He was going on about people who die by the sword and those who should look over their shoulders at all times.”

At the end of the sitting the accused told Magistrate Josette Demicoli that he was drunk and did not remember what had happened. He also asked the court for help for his alcohol problem.

Defence lawyer Martin Fenech made a request for bail, insisting his client was drunk and things got out of hand. Inspector Pisani however said the man was clearly a danger to others. Magistrate Demicoli turned down the request in view of the serious nature of the crime and the fact that the accused cannot be trusted. She instructed the prison authorities to enrol Mr Borg in a programme to kick his alcohol vice. The case continues.