A man who disobeyed police orders to stop revving his car’s engine late at night was given an eight-month jail term suspended for 18.
Matthew Sciberras, 31, of Mosta, pleaded guilty to disobeying police orders, threatening and resisting officers and using vulgar language in public in October 2009.
The incident started when three police constables patrolling Swieqi at about 11.45 p.m. came across Mr Sciberras sitting in his Toyota with his friends standing near the car.
The officers asked Mr Sciberras to stop revving the engine because he was disturbing the neighbours. He refused and the officers ordered him to give them his particulars. Instead, Mr Sciberras tried to drive off.
One of the officers tried to pull the keys out of the ignition but Mr Sciberras grabbed his hand and twisted it. At that point, the officer used pepper spray on him.
Mr Sciberras argued in court that he did not realise that the man who put his hand in the car to take the keys was a police officer but thought it was one of his friends.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said she had no reason to doubt the police officers’ account. Moreover, Mr Sciberras’ testimony was not even corroborated by his friends.
She felt that the use of pepper spray was a bit “disproportionate” because Mr Sciberras was sitting in his car and the officer could have simply pulled his hand off the key.