Nadur Labour councillor resigns over assault case

Nadur Labour councillor Jonathan Buttigieg has resigned from the party after he was charged with assaulting a police inspector.

Mr Buttigieg was charged under arrest and granted bail after the incident which took place last Tuesday evening.

In the meantime, he has tendered his resignation from the Labour Party, which accepted it, a party spokesman confirmed yesterday. He has retained his seat on the council.

The 35-year-old councillor was allegedly driving the wrong way down a one-way road between Għajnsielem and Nadur when police inspector Josric Mifsud, who was in his personal car, directed Mr Buttigieg to turn back.

At this point, Mr Buttigieg allegedly got out of his car and assaulted Inspector Mifsud. The police inspector was not in uniform at the time of the incident.

Mr Buttigieg was charged with assaulting the police inspector as well as breaching the peace and swearing in public. He pleaded not guilty.

He was granted bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €3,000. He also has to sign the Mġarr police station bail book twice a week and must be home between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. every day.

The Nationalist mayor of Kerċem, Joe Grima, has a similar case and is expected to be sentenced on November 10 after last Thursday’s sitting was deferred.

Mr Grima was accused of assaulting a police officer who told him to move an illegally-parked motorcycle. He allegedly struck the police officer in the face, breaking his spectacles.

Mr Grima had resigned from the Nationalist Party in view of the criminal case.