Judge confirms magistrate's decision to arrest man and revoke bail conditions

A judge has confirmed a magistrate's decision to arrest a man and revoke his bail conditions.

Sean Grima, 24, of Cospicua, had failed to turn up for a court case where he stands charged with slightly injuring his girlfriend and harassing her.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia ordered his arrest and revoked his bail conditions throwing the man back in prison.

But his lawyers, Andy Ellul and Vince Micallef, filed an application alleging that the arrest was illegal.

They argued that for his bail to be revoked he had to be found guilty of breaching those conditions. They said the magistrate should have at least heard the reasons why he had not turned up.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri then decided that the decision to hold him under arrest was in fact illegal.

But following an appeal by the Attorney General, Judge Lawrence Quintano said that Mr Grima had not presented a medical certificate or sent a member of his family to give a reason for his failure to turn up.

So it was up to the magistrate to decide whether or not to order his arrest or to go further and revoke his bail.

He ordered that Mr Grima be arrested until Monday when the next sitting is held. The magistrate would then decide if she should grant him bail once again.