An Egyptian national has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to assaulting a traffic policeman soon after the Isle of MTV concert in Floriana last Tuesday, damaging his helmet and tearing his protective clothing.

Tamer Mohamed Hussein Rozik, a 36-year-old seaman, was arraigned under arrest before Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras. He was charged with assaulting traffic policeman Etienne Grima, slightly injuring him, threatening him, damaging his uniform and damaging a Peugeot Partner car.  

He was further charged with damaging a stretcher at the Floriana health centre, disobeying police orders, resisting arrest, assaulting another three police officers who tried to retrain him and breaching the peace. 

Police Inspector Pierguido Saliba told the court that PC Grima was one of many police officers who were directing traffic around the granaries following the Isle of MTV concert that was attended by some 60,000 people. The policeman's attention was drawn to a man who jumped onto the bonnet of a car and was trying to pull off its wipers. 

He said that when PC Grima approached the accused, he assaulted him and began punching and kicking him. He said the attack was so vicious that the traffic policeman had the helmet he was wearing broken and his protective clothing ripped. 

"I can still vividly remember PC Grima radioing for help while he was on the ground being beaten up," Inspector Saliba said. 

"Had it not been for the prompt action of several passersby who intervened to restrain the accused who was hitting the police officer with all his might, the story here would have been different," he added. 

He said Rapid Intervention Unit officers intervened and even they were assaulted. When he was taken to the Valletta police station, the disturbance continued and officer had to use foot restraints to stop him from kicking them. 

The Egyptian continued being rowdy even when he was taken to the Floriana health centre to receive treatment for injuries he had sustained. Here he bit off a part of the stretcher he was on. 

Magistrate Galea Sciberras heard how he had caused almost €1,400 in damage and his employers, Virtu Ferries Limited, which owns the vessel on which Mr Rozik works, were ready to pay for the damage. 

She postponed the case to Tuesday, ordering that in the meantime, Mr Rozik be remanded in custody. 

Police Inspector Pricilla Caruana Lee also prosecuted while lawyer Abigail Bugeja appeared for the man.