A police officer arrested two Somali men apparently pickpocketing a Romanian man sleeping on a bench by handcuffing one to a car’s bull bar then chasing the other.

Police Sergeant Andrew St John was on patrol in Paceville at about 5am on Sunday when he saw four Somali men standing close to Bogdan-Marius Cainaru, rifling through his pockets.

On spotting him, the men tried to run away but PS St John handcuffed one of them to a vehicle before arresting a second after a chase. The othertwo escaped.

Bashir Abdulahi Ahmed, 21, and Abdulahi Mohamed Adow, 32, from Marsa, were yesterday charged with stealing €40 in cash from the victim, an iPhone 5s and other personal documents that were in his wallet.

Mr Adow was also charged with committing the crime during the operative period of a suspended jail term he had received for theft and breaching bail granted to him in another pending theft case.

Mr Ahmed pleaded guilty and was given a two-year jail term, suspended for four years. Mr Adow denied the charges and was remanded in custody.

Mr Cainaru testified he had failed to meet his group of friends in Paceville, who had earlier agreed to catch the first bus home at 5.30am.

He said he had had one glass of wine and a cocktail and, after spending some time waiting on the bench, he fell asleep.

He recalled feeling someone touching him before he woke up to find Mr Adow leaning over him.

A policeman appeared on the scene almost instantly, Mr Cainaru said.

The case continues.