A mother and son yesterday admitted to resisting police orders in an argument about their sick husband and father who was released from hospital when they had no way of taking care of him at home.

Jesmond Zammit, 48, from Ħamrun and his mother Madlene, 72, had objected to their 75-year-old father and husband being returned home the minute they were told by the hospital that he was being discharged, sources said.

They told the authorities that the man suffered from dementia and cancer and from time to time was rather aggressive.

Hence, they could not take care of him properly.

Despite this, an ambulance carrying the elderly man arrived at their house on Tuesday at about 5 p.m. with the man allegedly wearing nothing but a nappy and wrapped in sheets, the sources added.

There was an argument with the ambulance crew and the police were called in with the mother and her son now arguing with the officers.

During the arraignment yesterday, which was over in a matter of minutes, they admitted to violently resisting the police, disobeying orders, assaulting three police officers and breaching the peace.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke conditionally discharged Mr Zammit for three years while his mother was conditionally discharged for one.

Police Inspector Robert Vella prosecuted.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto was defence counsel.

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