A chef publicly apologised to the police yesterday after slightly injuring an officer and threatening another when they intervened in an argument he was having with his girlfriend.

Ian Saliba, 29, from Msida, appeared in court charged over the incident which took place in Paceville at around 3.30am on Monday.

Aided by lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Christian Grima, Mr Saliba admitted to slightly injuring Police Constable Mark Cremona and threatening his colleague Ian Vella. He also admitted violently resisting arrest, disobeying police orders and breaching the peace.

The officers intervened as he was involved in a loud argument with his girlfriend and he reacted aggressively towards them.

At one point during court proceedings, Magistrate Doreen Clarke, Police Inspector Luke Bonello and the defence counsel retired to the magistrate’s chambers to discuss the case. On returning, the magistrate sentenced Mr Saliba to a prison term of five months suspended for one year and a fine of €250.

She told him the officers were doing their job when they intervened and she hoped he had learned his lesson from the incident.

The magistrate also warned him of the consequences of committing a crime during the period covered by the suspended sentence.