An English tourist saw his first night in Malta go awry after he resisted arrest for urinating in public.

Senior Inspector Nikolai Sant told magistrate Claire Louise Stafrace how Stuart James Thomas Mcintyre assaulted two officers in Swieqi when they interrupted him on Friday morning.

The 28-year-old, from Chester, was ordered to pay €4,000 after being charged with assaulting police, slightly injuring officers, breaching the peace, being drunk in public, refusing to give the police his details and urinating in public.

A repentant Mr Mcintyre told the court how he had been drinking with friends and got tipsy, and insisted that the event escalated when the police approached him.

Legal aid Josette Sultana pointed out that this was an “unfortunate incident”, but was quickly interrupted by Magistrate Stafrace.

“It was not unfortunate; it was deliberate,” she said, adding that if the accused was not capable of handling his liquor then he should refrain from drinking large amounts of alcohol.

The accused, who is on holiday in Malta until next Tuesday, admitted that this had not been “a great holiday so far, but I know that's my fault”.

He pleaded guilty and was given a six month sentence suspended for a year with a €4,055 fine. The minimum for resisting arrest is €4,000 while an additional €50 needed to be paid for urinating in public.