A man turned up at the Marsa police station on Saturday night insisting on getting arrested because he had nowhere to sleep and had no money to return to his home in Sweden, a court heard today.

When the police refused to arrest him because he had done nothing illegal, he warned them that he was going to commit a crime so they could arrest him.

He was escorted to the Marsa open centre so he could spend the night there but on the way, he assaulted two police officers, punching one in the ear and slapping another across the face. He also smashed the mirror of a police car and damaged one of its doors.

As he appeared before Magistrate Giovanni Grixti, 24-year-old James John Konteh, originally from Gambia, refused to assisted by a legal aid lawyer, who was already present in the courtroom.

He insisted he wanted a Swedish lawyer that could understand his language and could explain the charges being brought against him. He added that his insurance company, which he did not name, would send a lawyer to Malta.

But Magistrate Grixti said the case against him had to proceed as he was being arraigned under arrest. He was charged with assaulting the police, slightly injuring them, disobeying their orders, breaching the peace and damaging the police car.
When he was asked by the court whether he was pleading guilty or not guilty, Mr Konteh refused to reply to the question, insisting he wanted a lawyer. The court therefore entered a not guilty plea.

He made a request for bail but this was turned down because he had no fixed address and because of the seriousness of the crime he had allegedly committed. He was remanded in custody.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted.