A father and his two sons were yesterday handed suspended jail terms after they were found guilty of clashing with police and planning authority officials who had attempted to demolish their property in Żebbug in 2007.

Carmelo Dimech, 55, and his two sons Ludwig, 31 and Melchior, 32, prevented the police and Malta Environment and Planning Authority officials from carrying out their duties.

The scuffle broke out on January 24, 2007, after the police swooped on the family’s car and tyre services garage with the intention of demolishing the second floor of a building that they said had been built illegally.

Apart from trying to prevent the officials from carrying out their duties, breaching the peace and being unruly, Ludwig Dimech was also charged with biting then assistant commissioner Josie Brincat during the scuffle.

The court noted that the Dimechs had protested strongly against the action, claiming the property had been built for them by the Transport Authority (ADT) as compensation after another property was expropriated to make way for a new road built for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting two years earlier.

They said the building was part of the agreement struck with then roads minister Jesmond Mugliett since their land had been expropriated when the road was widened.

After hearing the explanations, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said pretended rights did not give the Dimechs the excuse to be unruly and prevent the authorities from carrying out their duties.

Neither did it justify inflicting slight injuries on the police.

She sentenced Carmel and Melchior Dimech for a year in jail, suspended for two years, and sentenced Ludwig Dimech, who had the bite charge added to his accusations, to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Police Inspectors Alex Miruzzi and Marisa Cassar prosecuted while lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the men.