A 77-year-old man claims his human rights were breached when his two passports and identity card were confiscated after being charged with threatening a police inspector and scratching a neighbour’s car.

Giovanni Caruana, who lived in the UK for 40 years before retiring in Malta, filed a judicial protest demanding the documents are returned to him.

His British and Maltese passports and Malta ID card were seized as per standard bail procedures, which require such documents to be deposited in court to prevent the person leaving the island.

Through his lawyer, Emmy Bezzina, Mr Caruana said that he appeared in court under arrest on February 10 and was accused of damaging the car and also threatening Police Inspector Jonathan Ransley.

Dr Bezzina argued that the officer had violated a fundamental principle when he charged Mr Caruana because he could not act as prosecutor and injured party at the same time.

The lawyer said that there was no need to ban his client from travelling when there were other measures, such as a European Arrest Warrant, to ensure he did not escape justice.

Mr Caruana had been unable to visit his family in the UK for the past seven months, Dr Bezzina noted, threatening to have details of the case published in main newspapers throughout the 28 EU member states.

Mr Caruana never had any problems with the authorities, did not have a criminal record and, yet, found himself in such a “degrading” situation, Dr Bezzina said, demanding the immediate return of the documents.