Romeo Bone was today cleared of stalking PC 99 Mario Portelli and of attempting to kill him after a court found that the case had not been proven.

The criminal proceedings against Mr Bone, who is currently being held at the prison in connection with other cases, began after PC Portelli reported having seen Mr Bone outside his home on a number of occasions.

PC 99 is the star witness in the case against lawyer David Gatt, the former police inspector who stands accused of masterminding major crimes, including the failed robbery at HSBC headquarters in Qormi, the failed hold-up on a cash van and a hold-up on a jeweller in Attard.

In a previous sitting, prosecuting Inspector Michael Mallia  had said that another inspector told him that Mr Bone wanted to kill PC 99. Bone was a friend of Fabio Psaila, the “general” in Dr Gatt’s alleged gang.

The courts had heard that PC 99 had recognised Mr Bone and finally followed him while calling for back-up. Mr Bone was then arrested.

The court was also told that PC 99 claimed to have twice seen Bone drive past his house and had also reported seeing him once in front of a farmhouse owned by his father.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale said the court could not understand how the prosecution claimed that the constable was in fear of Mr Bone when it was the constable himself who had followed Mr Bone and, as he was being arrested, confronted him on why he was in front of his house.

Mr Bone always said it was coincidental that he was there.