64-year-old charged with resisting officers after smoking rebuke

A pensioner has been released on bail after being charged with violently resisting police officers who had found him smoking inside a political party club yesterday afternoon.

Inspector Melvyn Camilleri charged Michael Farrugia, 64, from Zebbug with having insulted and subsequently attacked three police officers who had found him smoking inside the Mqabba PN club, whilst responding to an unrelated noise complaint at around 4pm.

Farrugia was slightly the worse for wear at the time, having been drinking at the bar from 10am, he explained and had reacted irrationally when he was told that he was breaking the law, the court was told.

The man was charged with insulting and resisting the police in the course of their duties, using obscene language whilst drunk in public, breaching the peace, disobeying legitimate police orders and relapsing.

Defence lawyer Edward Gatt pointed out that this type of incident was so minor that it would normally be heard by district courts, not the court of Magistrates. He requested bail, highlighting the fact that the accused is 64 years of age and the principal witnesses are police officers.

“Let us not give the impression that if you have an argument with certain policemen, you will be arrested and remanded in custody,” warned the lawyer.

“It would be obtuse to keep a man in custody for a minor crime. We aren't talking about drug trafficking or grievous injuries, here.” He highlighted the fact that the police had not been called to the scene because of his behaviour. “Had he not been smoking indoors there was a 99% chance that the incident would not have taken place at all.”

Farrugia was released on bail against a €6,000 bond, guaranteed by his daughter.