A Libyan man denying he assaulted four off-duty police officers in Paceville wants CCTV footage of the area to be examined, which the court has accepted.

Lawyer Giannella de Marco, representing Munir Mohamed Ali Gammudi, 33, also asked the prosecution why the off-duty policemen were not arraigned.

It was unacceptable not to investigate them just because they were police officers, she added.

Dr de Marco asked the magistrate to appoint an expert to collect and analyse CCTV footage of the incident, which police investigators had not done. Magistrate Giovanni Grixti upheld the request.

Mr Gammudi is accused of seriously injuring a constable with a knife and slightly injuring three officers at 5.20am on Saturday.

He was also charged with illegal possessing the knife, assaulting the officers, disobeying the police, breaching the peace and violating the bail conditions of a previous court case when an 8.30pm curfew was imposed on him.

He was denied bail.

The police said in a statement that four off-duty officers had arrested a man wielding a knife in the area known as St Rita Steps.

They said the suspect threw a glass at a group of people and when one of the officers identified himself and ordered him to stop, the man spat at him and produced a knife.

Dr de Marco contested the legality of her client’s detention, claiming he was not released since his arrest on October 18, exceeding the 48-hour legal limit. While in hospital he had a police escort and was not informed of his release.

Police Inspector Elton Taliana insisted the accused was told he was no longer under arrest. The magistrate declared the arrest justified.