The German man found dead at the police lock-up in Floriana last night was a drug addict, unemployed and homeless and had been living in Malta for three months, Police Commissioner Michael Cassar said this morning.

The German, whose name is not yet being disclosed as his next-of-kin has not yet been informed of his death, was 36-years-old and from Stuttgart, the Commissioner told a crime conference.

The police said in a statement earlier today that the man was found dead in his cell last night at 10.40pm. Mr Cassar said the circumstances he was found in indicated he had committed suicide.

The man was due to be arraigned this morning charged with drug possession and attempted theft for which he was picked up from Msida at around 6pm yesterday.

He was taken to the Sliema police station from where he was later transferred to the lock-up. He was also taken to Mater Dei Hospital for methadone at his request.

Mr Cassar said the man clearly had a drug problem and “did not even have anything to eat when we picked him up”.

If cameras in cells can save lives, I am considering them

This was the second incident of a death at the police lock-up in three months.

Asked what measures were being taken to prevent such incidents, Mr Cassar defended the procedures at the lock-up, which he said were fully compliant with the United Nations Commission for the Prevention of Torture.

Mr Cassar said that many things had already been changed including the regularity of cell inspection. The German been checked 15 minutes before he was found dead.

The Police Commissioner said he was now considering installing cameras in the actual cells.

“Although the lock-up is not a place one goes to enjoy himself, people’s dignity and privacy still have to be respected. But if cameras in cells can save lives, I am considering them.”

He noted that the police were already quite meticulous and rigorous when it came to checking people at the lock up.

However, there could still be incidents where people harmed themselves in spite of the cameras.

The police will be providing the CCTV footage of the corridors to the court appointed inquiry, which they said they will not get involved in for transparency's sake.