Ten hoax bomb threats were made to the law courts this year, more than double the amount in 2013, Times of Malta has learnt.

Figures provided by the Justice Ministry show a steady increase in the number of calls made.

There were as many bomb threats in January this year (three) as there were in all of 2013. However, 2010 still tops the record with 13 calls.

Last May, the police had mounted an extensive investigation into a hoax call that was made about an hour before the second hearing of a robbery and assault case.

They had managed to trace the call to a public telephone booth in Our Lady of Sorrows Street, Pietà.

Out of some five hearings in two years, two had to be put off because of a bomb scare

A forensic team had lifted fingerprints from the receiver hoping these would belong to the person who had made the emergency call claiming that a bomb had been hidden near the court house stairwell.

The investigation, however, hit a dead end and CCTV footage from a neighbouring outlet also came up dry.

The police suspect most of the threats are made by people who have pending cases in court they would want postponed, but their irresponsible actions also end up postponing the cases that others would rather be held so that judgment could be handed down.

John Saliba, who is appealing a Civil Court decision, told Times of Malta he faced two postponements due to bomb threats on two separate occasions.

“I have been attending court to contest a decision for two years. Out of some five hearings, two had to be put off because of a bomb scare,” he said.

However, not all cases are put on hold.

Earlier this year, Judge Lawrence Quintano ignored a bomb threat and continued hearing a trial by jury.