A man visiting his son in prison ended up behind bars himself after getting into an argument with Corradino Correctional Facility security on Sunday morning, a court heard.

John Bartolo, a 68-year old man from Mosta, was taking food to his son, currently serving a term behind bars, when he got into a row with prison security officers.

The argument allegedly began because Mr Bartolo’s son had not informed CCF authorities that his father was due to visit him.

As tempers flared, four members of the security response team intervened to restore order.

The man was arrested and spent Sunday night in police custody. He was arraigned on Monday over charges of having violently resisted arrest, slightly injuring one of the officers, uttering obscene words in public, breaching the public peace and refusing to obey legitimate police orders.

He was further charged with having committed these offences during the operative period of a suspended sentence.

“This was a truly genuine case,” defence lawyer David Gatt argued, when making submissions on bail following his client’s not guilty plea.

“He was just taking food to his son, he was not smuggling drugs or anything of the sort,” Dr Gatt went on.

Prosecuting Inspector Paul Camilleri countered that there would be no objection so long as there would be no further visits by the man to his son.

Duty magistrate Astrid May Grima granted bail against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €2,000 and to sign the bail book once a week, besides ordering him not to approach the correctional facility.