The man who was last week fined for calling a policeman a “frying pan” told him much more than just that, according to court documents seen by Times of Malta.
Affidavits presented in court as evidence – which were not read out in open court – show that the man, who was inebriated, threatened the police officer and warned him that he would find out where he lived.
Patrick Sciberras, 37, from St Paul’s Bay, last Friday appeared before Magistrate Charmaine Galea charged with insulting the police officer, offending public morals, giving false particulars to the police, breaching the peace and relapsing.
He was conditionally discharged for a year and fined €850.
It emerged in court that Mr Sciberras said: “Hawn, ja frying pan” (Hi, you frying pan), as the policeman drove past him on his motorcycle in Parades Street, St Paul’s Bay, last March 15.
What was not said in open court, however, was that when the police officer got off his bike and approached the man to see if there was a problem, he refused to give him his details. “I don’t want to give them to you... Are you going to arrest me? I couldn’t care less,” he told the officer, who in the meantime radioed for assistance.
“Why are you going to get other [police] cars? Whenever I want I can just escape,” he was quoted as saying in a sworn police statement. When other officers arrived, Mr Sciberras again refused to give his details and continued making a scene, shouting and swearing.
When a police sergeant informed him that court action would be taken against him, Mr Sciberras turned his threats up a notch: “Let go of me... I will cut him to pieces... I will find out where you live... I will recognise you. If I see you passing by on your bike, I’ll run you over and send you to kingdom come.” (ngħollik ma’ Kristu).
These details give a different context to the conditional discharge and fine imposed by the court. Times of Malta readers had posted comments expressing their dismay at the court’s heavy-handedness.
Lawyer Franco Debono, who said that the issue had been “blown out of proportion”, appeared for the man.