A 21-year-old man yesterday admitted to assaulting the police as he was being arrested on Saturday night but insisted he was not in possession of cocaine.

The incident happened when Emerson Camilleri, from Msida, was being arrested in St George’s Road at 1am on Sunday.

Defence counsel Arthur Azzopardi said his client was admitting the first four charges related to assaulting, threatening and offending police officers but was requesting the court to appoint an expert to examine the substance the prosecution was alleging consisted of cocaine.

Magistrate Francesco De-pasquale upheld the request and appointed chemist Godwin Sammut to test the substance.

He also upheld a defence request for bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000. The accused was ordered to stay away from Paceville and St Julian’s and to be indoors at 8pm every day.

Police Inspector Carol Fabri prosecuted.

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