When Labour supporters stormed into the law courts and set fire to several halls 28 years ago, a magistrate only realised how serious the situation was when a policeman handed him a baton to be used in self-defence.

“I’ll never forget the move of that policeman who approached me and stealthily stuck a baton under my [desk’s] platform. That was when I realised the extent of the danger I was in and, at worst, the police would offer no protection and that, if something serious happened to me, that would be my last means of defence,” Mr Justice Michael Mallia recounted.

A laugh resonated through the courtroom, packed with his relatives and colleagues, as he relived moments of this 29-year career as a member of the judiciary.

Mr Justice Mallia, who was appointed judge in 2009 and who turns 65 on Tuesday, was delivering a speech during his last court sitting ahead of retirement.

That would be my last means of defence

He was recounting his “literal” baptism of fire – when his courtroom and office were set on fire on June 19, 1987 – a year after he was appointed magistrate.

Back then Mr Justice Mallia was presiding over the first sitting of the case against 15 Labour Party supporters charged with corrupt practices during the general elections. Thankfully, he said, that day he was not working from his usual courtroom, which was set on fire together with his adjoining chambers.

He recalled how his deputy registrar, Joe Farrugia, guided him and remained by his side and how they went to assess the damage including burnt case documents. “For many months Joe patiently went through all the documents to see what could be saved and restored. Poor Joe, I don’t know how he managed to take the strong smell of soot, as did I since we started and ended our day with that smell. It took years for everything to get back to normal. There must still be many documents in the archives from those days, with burnt edges,” he said.