An English yachtsman who was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000 last week has been remanded in custody following an appeal by the Attorney General.

Back in 2006, Richard Cranston, 41, had been found guilty by the Sicilian courts of importing 3.75 kilogrammes of cocaine. He was jailed but has since served his sentence .

Mr Cranston arrived in Malta with his yacht's skipper, 40-year-old Lindsey Lynch last week.

Acting on a tip-off, the police searched the yacht and allegedly found more than 60 grammes of cocaine, a small amount of cannabis resin and 25 grammes of grass.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona granted Mr Cranston bail last Friday against a personal guarantee of €1,000. The court had allowed the accused to work on the boat and even sleep on it, as long as he informed the police.

Chief Justice De Gaetano this morning overturned the decision and remanded Mr Cranston in custody.

He said that the Magistrates' Court was manifestly wrong to grant bail at this stage, in view of the clear danger of the accused leaving aboard his yacht.

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