A 17-year-old Egyptian man accused of threatening two prostitutes with a pocket knife after they refused to have sex with him has been remanded in custody.

The youth - who cannot be named as he is a minor – first approached one of the prostitutes and asked her how much she charged for sex.

The prostitute asked the youth to leave him alone, at which point he threatened her with a pocket knife.

The prostitute phoned up the police at this point, causing the youth to flee.

Undeterred, the youth approached yet another prostitute in Marsa that very same night.

Rejected once more, the youth again whipped out his pocket knife and threatened the prostitute, before fleeing the scene.

The police caught up with him later on, but the knife allegedly used was not found.

The youth was already out on bail in connection with another case involving the theft of a bus driver’s bag from her bus in Fgura.

Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted, and Abigail Bugeja appeared as legal aid to the man.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia presided.