Policeman Simon Schembri is to be called back to court for cross-examination, following a request by the lawyer representing Liam Debono, the man accused of running him over last May.

Franco Debono made the request after a court on Friday was asked by Mr Schembri to ban the airing of two Xarabank interviews – one with the victim and one with the accused.

In his first formal reaction to last Friday’s turn of events, Dr Debono said Mr Schembri's request offered insight into the policeman's character, saying that the victim had been quite prepared to speak in public and give television interviews over the last six months, but then tried to stop the accused from doing the same.

Mr Schembri was interviewed by the Xarabank team but changed his mind when he found out that Liam Debono was also interviewed, filing an urgent application in court on Friday morning to block that move.

Read: Xarabank may take legal steps over interview ban

In a decree delivered hours later, magistrate Joseph Mifsud, presiding over the compilation of evidence over the attempted murder charges, ordered that Xarabank was not to air either of the two recorded interviews during Friday’s show.

The court on Monday took note of another complaint raised by the defence counsel following an article published in Sunday’s Illum newspaper.

The article, penned by Joseph Ellis, depicted his client as guilty of the alleged crime, Dr Debono argued, prompting the court to order a formal communication to the author as well as the Attorney General who are to file a reply within 24 hours.

The court declared that it would pronounce itself at a later stage, but since the Illum article had contested the magistrate’s decision over the Xarabank interviews, the matter might be referred to the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

Inspector Chantelle Casha prosecuted. Lawyer Amadeus Cachia was also defence counsel. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared parte civile.