Criminal defence lawyer Gianella Caruana Curran yesterday questioned a police procedure under which persons out on bail are not given a receipt for medical certificates they present at the police station.

Defending Stefan Cutajar, 24, who is charged with breaching his bail conditions and theft from four vehicles, Dr Caruana Curran asked the prosecuting officer why a receipt is not given when a medical certificate is handed in.

Persons are sometimes granted bail under the condition that they sign in at a police station and, in the event they cannot do so, are requested to present a medical certificate. The lawyer said there was no guarantee that the certificate is registered and therefore no proof that the person could not sign the bail book because of medical reasons.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg said that, according to the procedure, the officer makes a note of the certificate received but no receipt is given.

Mr Cutajar was yesterday arraigned twice, first pleading not guilty to breaching his bail conditions and then for stealing car stereos from four cars between May of last year and October this year.

Inspector Borg told the court that Mr Cutajar had failed to sign the bail book at various times. He added that he had told Mr Cutajar to be careful as breaching bail conditions had now become a crime.

Dr Caruana Curran replied that her client had not been caught on a boat trying to leave the island or with a false passport but simply not signing the bail book over a short period.

During the second arraignment Police Inspector Daniel Zammit asked the court to deny bail to Mr Cutajar as he was not a trustworthy person and there were still witnesses to be heard.

Dr Caruana Curran rebutted this point, saying the witnesses were the owners of the cars and not eye-witnesses and so bail should be granted.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna remanded Mr Cutajar in custody.