Policemen accused of beating up a man charged with slightly injuring them have not been internally investigated, the Court heard this morning.

In the compilation of evidence against Claudio Overend, 19, of Swieqi, who stands charged with slightly injuring Police Inspector Pierre Grech and PC John Farrugia, lawyer Jose Herrera told the Court that although it appeared that police officers had broken the law and there were various witnesses to testify this, no proceedings had been initiated against them. However, these were initiated against his client who had been simply trying to park his car.

During an earlier sitting in August, the defence had produced a surprise witness who supported Mr Overend’s claim that he was beaten by the police.

Supt Mario Spiteri told the court this morning that internal investigations were not conducted against the two policemen involved because the case was a district one. Moreover, at the Sliema police station there was a superintendent and an assistant commissioner and the case was dealt with within that office.

Supt. Nicholas Ciappara said investigators did not feel they needed to contact Mr Overend about the allegation that he had been beaten up by the police as he had already been fully investigated by the Sliema office.

WPS Maria Scicluna said that on the night of the incident, she remembered the couple entering the Sliema police station with another two men. The couple seemed agitated and at that point she did not know that the two men were the police officers who had allegedly beaten them up.

WPS Scicluna recalled that the girl told her that they were attacked, she was very nervous and as she tried to speak one of the men pushed her up against the wall and the St Julian’s police intervened.

The Sliema police repeatedly offered the couple medical assistance but this was refused.

The case continues.