Labour deputy leader Toni Abela was this morning fined €100 for contempt of court after he failed to appear in court to defend his client over drug-related charges and "did not bother" informing the court that he was going to be abroad.

When the woman's case was called, she told the court that her lawyer could not attend as he was abroad. Dr Abela was due to appear to represent the woman over drug charges.

The matter irked Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras so much that she found him guilty of contempt of court and also warned, in her decree, that the fine will not be revoked. She said that the lawyer not only failed to appear in court but "did not bother to inform the court of his absence through an application".

Police Superintendent Dennis Theuma told the court that the prosecution had rested its case in 2013 and the case was still pending for evidence produced by the defence.

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