A man who resorted to making a hoax bomb scare at the law courts to avoid a court hearing related to separation proceedings was today condemned to 280 hours of community service and a fine of €10,000.

Libyan national Ahmad Yassine, 36, who has been living in Malta since early childhood, was found guilty by a magistrates' court of having on November 16, called at the reception desk of the courts and alleging a bomb had been planted in the building.

The court noted that the accused called the GO directory services to check the phone number of the law courts. The court-appointed expert who had checked the mobile data of the accused, confirmed that the number requested had been sent via a text message from GO. 

Besides you are a coward. If you did not want to face your wife you should not have done this

The court, presided by magistrate Joseph Mifsud, commented upon the chaos which ensued after the accused's call came through.

"What you did is no joke. It was a premeditated act... This is wrong. Besides you are a coward. If you did not want to face your wife you should not have done this."

The court then asked courts director Raymond Scicluna to take the witness stand to explain the costs involved when such hoax threats are made.

The senior court official explained that 400 civil servants at the law courts cost the taxpayer some €4,390 per hour in wages. Since the bomb scare lasted two hours, this meant taxpayers had to fork out €8,780 for wasted manpower.

The court also observed that besides such costs, all court work involving the judiciary, lawyers and clients, was brought to a standstill.

The accused, accompanied by his elder brother in court, pleaded guilty after having been given time to reconsider his plea.

After declaring the man guilty, the court concluded that the community would gain nothing if the accused were to be sent to jail. Instead, it ordered the accused to perform 280 hours of community service and pay a fine of €10,000. The man was also made to pay court expert fees.

Lawyers Carlos Bugeja and Keith Borg were counsel to the accused.