A man who was charged with attacking two RIU police officers after they pulled him over in Mgarr when they spotted him driving recklessly has been acquitted of all charges. Jean Paul Aquilina had been charged with dangerous driving, assaulting two police officers and disobeying police orders.

Magistrate Carol Peralta said that there were serious doubts on what happened on the night of 3 May 3 at 1am. He said that the scratches Mr Aquilina sustained were compatible with a struggle. He said that it had not been proven by the prosecution that Mr Aquilina assaulted the officers.

The magistrate noted that the officers had claimed that he was drunk but despite this claim, neither the officers involved nor the district police felt the need to conduct a breathalyser test.

Criminal proceedings against the two RIU officers involved have been initiated after an internal investigation by the Police’s internal affairs unit was conducted. The officers are David Camilleri and Mark Tonna. They stand accused with assaulting Mr Aquilina and committing a crime they were duty-bound to prevent.

On the night of the incident, Mr Aquilina was accompanied by his partner Josianne Vassallo who said that she was shocked with what she witnessed happen to her partner.

The RIU officers in turn claimed that Mr Aquilina was aggressive towards them.

In an earlier sitting, Magistrate Peralta had hit out at the prosecution for failing to inform him that the two officers involved were facing criminal charges in connection with the incident. After giving the prosecution a thorough dressing down for not informing the court of this, he ordered that the two cases be heard in tandem in his court. The case involving the officers is still ongoing.

Lawyer Mario de Marco defended Mr Aquilina. Police Inspector Nicholas Vella prosecuted.