A man from Leeds was today remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to the hit and run incident involving two Nationalist MPs on Wednesday.

Censu Galea and Frederick Azzopardi were slightly injured when their car was involved in a collision with the accused’s car, which had German number plates.

The driver got out, argued with the MPs and drove off. The police arrested the man at his home yesterday morning.

James Malcolm Towers, 46, who lives in Pieta, pleaded not guilty to driving a car not registered with Transport Malta carelessly and without a licence and insurance.

He was also charged with speeding, breaching the peace and causing some €2,000 worth of involuntary damage to Mr Azzopardi’s car.

In pleas on bail, lawyer Jason Azzopardi, who represented the MPs, told Magistrate Josette Demicoli that the victims were not after the pound of flesh but they had suffered slight injury.

Since the accused was pleading not guilty, he was presenting his clients’ medical certificates to prove slight injury and would request the police to  increase the charges to include this.

The accused’s lawyer Anthony Stellini said his client had been living in Malta for 19 years and would not abscond.