Three police officers who were in the right place at the right time apprehended an Italian man who tried to pull a fast one on a taxi driver by running away without paying the fare, a court was told.

The incident occurred on Sunday at about 5 a.m. after Francesco Nanni, 29, of Birkirkara, asked taxi driver Anthony Mifsud to stop at a cash machine at San Ġwann industrial estate and dashed off the minute he got out. Mr Mifsud chased him and was helped by Police Inspector Edmond Cuschieri, Sergeant Anton Buttigieg and Constable Gabria Gatt who happened to be driving past and saw the two men playing cat and mouse, Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna heard.

The police stopped the Italian but Mr Nanni tried to escape, in the process slightly injuring all three of them. He also slightly injured the taxi driver who tried to help out.

Mr Nanni pleaded guilty to assaulting the officers, threatening them, slightly injuring them and Mr Mifsud and disobeying orders.

He was conditionally discharged after the court took into consideration his early guilty plea and his clean police record.

Mr Nanni has since paid the €20 fare to the taxi driver.

Police Inspector Silvana Zrinzo Azzopardi prosecuted.

Lawyer Mark Busuttil appeared for Mr Nanni.