A 20-year-old man was placed under a probation order for two years and fined €3,800 for cannabis possession and assaulting a police officer in Gżira on Sunday.

Alnafouri Mohamad Nour, born in Syria and living in San Ġwann, admitted to being in possession of cannabis, assaulting and disobeying the police, breaching the peace, damaging a parked car, breaching bail conditions and relapsing. He was arrested after two police officers on patrol noticed him drive past without wearing a seat belt. They followed him and spotted him throw pieces of foil out of the window. When the officers switched on the blue beacon light he stopped. He also threw a hard object out of his car, damaging a vehicle nearby.

The officers walked with him to the area where he had thrown the foil. Later, one of the officers walked back to get the police car while his colleagues remained with Mr Nour, who was handcuffed. At one point, Mr Nour knocked the officer to the ground in an attempt to destroy the drugs.

Mr Nour told Magistrate Josette Demicoli he was willing to pay for the approximately €300 in damage to the parked car.

Police Inspectors Pierre Grech and Jason Sultana prosecuted. Lawyer Gianluca Caruana Curran represented the accused.