Fifteen people were yesterday granted bail against a personal guarantee of €20,000 each after pleading not guilty to a number of charges relating to a disturbance during the feast of St Cajetan in Ħamrun on Sunday evening.

The accused are Ħamrun residents Carmel Abela, 49, Angelino Abela, 44, Anthony Abela, 48, Jonathan Abela, 23, Jason James Agius, 34, Dylon Vella, 22, and Maroushka Attard, 25, Johann Abela, 21, of Żejtun, Heathcliff Schembri, 22, of Sta Venera, James Vella Bray 51, of Pietà, John Mamo, 24, of Mosta, Nazzareno Gatt 34, of Żejtun, Kelsey Vella, 20, of Pietà, Carmela Mintoff, 51, of Birkirkara and Alicia Mintoff, 27, of Birkirkara.

Before Magistrate Silvio Meli, the accused pleaded not guilty to conspiring to resist the police.

Angelino Abela alone pleaded not guilty to assaulting Police Superintendent Carmelo Bartolo and threatening him, while Carmel Abela pleaded not guilty to slightly injuring him.

Jason Agius alone pleaded not guilty to relapsing and filing a false report against police officers.

Heathcliffe Schembri, James Vella Bray, Dylon Vella and Kelsey Vella also pleaded not guilty to damaging a police car. Other charges included damage to police uniforms and assaults on several police officers. The court heard lawyer Roberto Montalto explain how there was a commotion when some of the accused saw a member of their family being apprehended by the police and the situation developed into a number of arrests.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.

Lawyers Ian Farrugia, Mark Anthony Mifsud Cutajar, Juliana Scerri Ferrante, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Martin Fenech and David Farrugia Sacco appeared for the accused.