A film industry worker put on his best stuntman impression when he leapt out of his house while in handcuffs in an attempt to escape police. 

Jon Lawrence Formosa, 40 and from Cospicua, appeared in court on Friday following a daredevil escape attempt on Thursday. 

It was the second time in one day that Mr Formosa, who is currently out of work, had tried to evade officers of the law. Earlier in the day, he had darted off after an officer told him that he was to be questioned over his suspected involvement in a theft. 

He was apprehended soon after, and officers subsequently accompanied him to his home, which they planned to search. 

Once there, Mr Formosa jumped out of house, falling down a one storey height and running off, handcuffs and all. He was recaptured once again and marched to court this morning.

Mr Formosa pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, ranging from insults and threats against the police, refusal to obey legitimate police orders, attempted escape from the police station, escape from his home while under police custody, damage to police property as well as breaching the peace.

He was further charged with having falsely reported an offence which did not exist when he alleged that he was manhandled and hit with a broom while in police custody. 

Defence lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar, assisting the man as legal aid counsel, made a request for bail pointing out that his client was well-known among Cospicua police, since he lived in the town and signed the bail book daily.

“The police know where to find him. They can exercise total control,” Dr Mifsud Cutajar stressed, explaining that the man had panicked upon being told that he was being suspected of theft.

Moreover, his client had sought to get back to the safety of his home upon being roughly handled by the officers as alleged, the lawyer added further, prompting the prosecution to rebut that the man had twice attempted to get away before being finally captured close to his home, with his handcuffs somehow broken apart.

Having heard submissions by both parties, magistrate Grazio Mercieca, presiding over the arraignment, turned down the request for bail.

“So am I to go to jail?,” the arrested man whimpered. “I was the victim and now I am to end up in jail?” he questioned in a wavering voice as he suddenly whipped off his jacket to show the court his allegedly scratched arms, prompting the magistrate to order his immediate removal from the courtroom.

Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted.