Hal Far resident admits to damaging ambulance whilst drunk

A 19-year-old man has been conditionally discharged and ordered to pay for repairs to an ambulance he damaged whilst in a drunken state.

Abdalla Yahya, from Sudan, admitted to charges relating to the incident which occurred at Hal Far on 20 July at around 10 pm.

Yahya, who resides at the Hal Far tent village had been passed out, drunk when an ambulance crew arrived to provide assistance. Inspector Janetta Grixti told the court, presided by magistrate Doreen Clarke, that the young man had lashed out at ambulance workers when they had tried to help him. He also caused €507 worth of damage to the ambulance.

The man was accused of criminal damage, threatening a male nurse and public disorder charges. He was also accused of being drunk and incapable of taking care of himself in public.

Arraigned in court this morning, the man pleaded guilty.

He was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay €507 for the damage he had caused. The court warned him that if he committed another offence in the next two years, he would go to prison.

As the magistrate was leaving the courtroom, the grateful young man shouted “thank you!” The magistrate turned around and encouraged him to look after himself, saying she did not want to see him in her courtroom again.