The arraignment on Friday of a man charged with having threatened someone with a knife was marked by loud bouts of his sobbing.

Renald Baldacchino, a 39-year old salesman from Qormi, pleaded not guilty to having threatened his victim, as well as to attacking and insulting him.

He was further charged with breaching bail conditions, committing the wrongdoing while under a suspended sentence, as well as with recidivism. He is facing drug-related charges in separate proceedings.

A request for bail was turned down by the court, presided over by magistrate Astrid May Grima, after the prosecution argued that civilian witnesses were yet to testify and that the accused had failed to learn from past brushes with the law.

Upon a request by the defence lawyer, the court recommended that the accused be detained at the Mount Carmel Hospital Forensic Unit so as to be afforded all necessary help to overcome his drug dependency.

Inspector Kylie Borg prosecuted.