Former fugitive Fabio Psaila tore his clothes to bits with his teeth and flushed the tiny pieces down the toilet of a prison cell when he was arrested for questioning after the botched HSBC Bank headquarters hold-up in June, a magistrate heard yesterday.

“I had heard rumours that Fabio went into a prison cell with his clothes and left naked. I asked him whether it was true and he confirmed he ripped his clothes with his teeth and flushed the pieces,” Police Constable Mario Portelli told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli.

“They were the same clothes he was wearing during the HBSC hold-up which could be seen on film captured by the security cameras at the crime scene. The investigating officers wanted them so he destroyed them,” PC Portelli said.

He was testifying in the compilation of evidence in the case of Mr Psaila, 36, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of two police constables during the failed bank heist in Qormi, of which he is also charged.

PC Portelli said he had met Mr Psaila through former Police Inspector and now lawyer David Gatt, who stands accused of building a criminal organisation, allegedly fashioned on iconography of the Mafia Corleonese, and with masterminding at least three hold-ups and advising criminals on a fourth.

The witness said Dr Gatt had introduced him to Mr Psaila in January 2009 in a restaurant in Marsascala. “David wanted me to meet the general,” he said.

He met Mr Psaila again in a Sliema restaurant shortly after the failed HSBC hold-up.

The constable said Mr Psaila wanted to get his revenge on the two police constables, Kenneth Ciangura and Kurt Gauci, for foiling the hold-up. (PC Ciangura and PC Gauci, members of the mobile squad, had intervened during the crime and also exchanged fire with fleeing criminals.) He also wanted to get back at Police Inspector Joseph Mercieca, conducting the prosecution, and the Attorney General.

During their meeting in Sliema, PC Portelli said he also raised the “rumour” he had heard that the police found Mr Psaila naked in his cell shortly after he was arrested. Mr Psaila replied it was the case and explained he wanted to destroy the evidence.

The constable said he had received a text message from Mr Psaila shortly after a failed hold up on December 3 on a jeweller in Attard in which at least two of the robbers – including Mr Psaila himself – were shot at by the jeweller’s son.

Unbeknown to Mr Psaila at the time, when as the jeweller was being assaulted, PC Portelli was spilling the beans on him and Dr Gatt, giving the evidence to inquiring Magistrate Giovanni Grixti.

His superiors had given PC Portelli strict orders not to meet Mr Psaila or Dr Gatt without their permission. But a day after the foiled Attard hold-up, Dr Gatt contacted him. “After consulting with the Deputy Commissioner, I used the excuse of being sick and told David to come to my house,” he said.

He met Dr Gatt in his car. Dr Gatt told him he was worried about Darrin Debono, known as It-Topo, and Mr Psaila who were both allegedly injured in the Attard assault. “I was surprised to hear it and I understood then why Fabio had been texting me,” PC Portelli said.

Dr Gatt asked PC Portelli whether he knew of a doctor who could treat Mr Psaila without reporting him to the authorities. But two days later, on December 5, Dr Gatt told PC Portelli he no longer needed a doctor because the police had arrested Mr Psaila. However, when he checked with the police headquarters, PC Portelli discovered it was not true and he texted Dr Gatt. “He replied saying it was a misunderstanding. The police arrested Fabio’s girlfriend but David thought they had arrested him.”

In a bizarre detail that emerged yesterday, PC Portelli said Mr Psaila and Dr Gatt had burned the car of a lawyer’s boyfriend. The lawyer happened to be a colleague of Dr Gatt who apparently failed to reserve space for him at a table during drinks organised by lawyers for the feast of St Ivo, the patron saint of lawyers.

Mr Psaila is facing 27 charges, which were yesterday increased by a further three relating to his alleged membership of Dr Gatt’s gang.

Police Inspector Anthony Portelli is also prosecuting.

Lawyers Manwel Mallia, Arthur Azzopardi and Kathleen Grima appeared for Mr Psaila.