Desperate for some rest, a drunken Australian offered money to police officers to let him sleep, a court heard yesterday.

Christopher Hamilton, 27, who works on a yacht and lives in Sliema, refused to give his particulars and was arrested before the money offer. He arrived at Palumbo dockyard at 1am yesterday and walked in past the security guard, who did not recognise him.

The guard ordered him to stop and identify himself, but Mr Hamilton carried on in a drunken stupor and ignored him, Police Inspector Frankie Sammut said. The guard called the police.

Mr Hamilton refused to give officers his details, so was arrested and taken to the police station. There, he said he knew police in Malta accepted bribes and offered them money to leave him alone and let him go to sleep, the court heard.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli asked Mr Hamilton, who refused to be represented by a lawyer, if he was aware of his wrongdoing. He replied he was and apologised. He received a three-year conditional discharge and told the prosecuting officer the case should not have reached court.