Addict seeks rehab ‘to spare mother future trouble’

An unemployed 28-year-old man has been granted bail after promising to seek help for his drug addiction.

The defendant, whose name cannot be published by order of the court, was arraigned this morning before Magistrate Claire-Louise Stafrace on charges of cultivating two cannabis plants, being in possession of psychotropic medicine and having an unlicensed firearm. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecuting police inspector Shaun Friggieri explained to the court that the police had acted on anonymous information.

The man, who lives with his mother, interjected several times from the dock, at first claiming that he was using the cannabis for therapeutic purposes, but later admitting that he had a drug problem.

He pleaded not guilty.

The man was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000. He was also placed under a treatment order and was assigned a probation officer to monitor his progress.

Furthermore, the defendant was temporarily sent for treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital, prior to voluntarily submitting to a rehabilitation programme.

“I want to do this primarily to spare my mother from further trouble,” he said.

Layer Victor Bugeja was legal aid.