Floriana man refused bail after escaping police

A drug user who panicked and fled from police has been denied bail due to his escape.

Before magistrate Joe Mifsud this morning, Lyon Bonnici, 29, from Floriana was accused of possession of heroin in circumstances which denoted that it was not solely for his personal use.

He was also accused of failing to obey legitimate police orders, possession of cannabis, relapsing and breaching a suspended sentence.

Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna and Priscilla Caruana Lee explained how an RIU police patrol in Floriana had stopped a suspicious vehicle on 22 January. A search of the car recovered several small bags of drugs. When informed he was under arrest, Bonnici, who was behind the wheel at the time, fled. He was arrested two days later in Floriana.

Lawyer Franco Debono, defence counsel to the accused, told the court that the man had panicked at the time and this was why he ran away. He was arrested whilst going back to the police station of his own accord, argued the lawyer in his bail submissions. 

The court, however, observing that the man had escaped from police, denied bail at this stage.