Rehab for young man charged over drugs

A 20-year-old man was yesterday charged with the possession of heroin with the intent to sell it.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani heard Melvin Pace, of Zabbar, plead not guilty to the possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not for his personal use and relapsing.

During bail submissions Police Inspector Nadia Lanzon, prosecuting, argued against the granting of bail since Mr Pace was a heroin addict and there was the chance he would repeat the crime. She added that he had pending drug-related cases.

The inspector explained that the accused had been found in the possession of 10 sachets of heroin and, in a statement, he said he consumed a gramme of heroin a day.

Lawyer Franco Debono, for Mr Pace, argued that his client was currently presumed to be innocent and any pending cases should not have a bearing on whether or not he was granted bail.

After hearing submissions the magistrate ordered that Mr Pace be remanded in custody at this stage. She heard how he was willing to attend a drug rehabilitation programme and ordered that, while in custody, he would start the preparatory procedures for the programme.