A Sliema man who had escaped police custody and jumped into the sea to prevent his arrest appeared again in court today and was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to a robbery from the house of a 92-year-old woman in Birżebbuga.

Andrea Busuttil, 27, was charged with the robbery, which took place early in the morning on June 9. He was also accused of holding the woman against her will and with drug-related charges, including that of conspiring to deal in cannabis, cannabis possession and trafficking and possession of cocaine and heroin.

Police Inspectors Saviour Baldacchino and Justine Grech told Magistrate Gabriella Vella how Mr Busuttil had been detained in connection with a robbery from the home of the elderly woman in Birzebbuga last June but had managed to escape from custody on July 30.

At the time, the police were conducting a search at his house, looking for items that could link him to the theft.

He was arrested close to Manoel Island almost a week later but only after a a long chase that ended with him jumping into the sea to escape the police officers who had tried to arrest him. He was eventually arrested when a police inspector jumped into the sea and handcuffed him after a brief struggle.

Mr Busuttil’s pregnant girlfriend, Donna Sciberras, was jailed for two years and eight months earlier this week after pleading guilty to the theft.

Ms Sciberras had revealed the identities of her two accomplices, one of which was her boyfriend, Andrea Busuttil, to the police, when she was arrested over a separate and unrelated theft from a residence in Sliema.

Mr Busuttil pleaded not guilty to the long list of charges brought against him. No request for bail was made and he was remanded in custody.

Lawyers Kris Busietta and Jason Azzopardi appeared for the man.