A man accused of taking his mother's car for a joyride and stealing a dog from a farmhouse was today remanded in custody after pleading not guilty. 

Jurgen Cassar, 32, from Qormi and unemployed, ended up in court after he got into trouble with two police officers in his hometown last Sunday evening. 

Prosecutors today claimed that some weeks ago Mr Cassar had taken the wheel of his mother’s car without her permission, without a driving licence and without any insurance cover.

Moreover, Mr Cassar was accused of being involved in a break-in at a Qormi farmhouse on October 5 wherein a dog and other personal belongings had been stolen. 

Although little is known about the circumstances which led to the man’s arraignment today, it became clear, in the course of the proceedings, that the accused had a drug problem which needed to be addressed immediately.

For this reason, although the man pleaded not guilty, his legal counsel did not enter a request for bail but asked that his client be given help during his time in custody.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, upheld this request and recommended that the director of prison was to offer the accused all necessary assistance, including psychological help, to overcome his problem.

Inspector Kylie Borg prosecuted. Lawyer Noel Cutajar was legal aid.