A driver allegedly told two police officers he was not scared of running over two police officers, claiming his cousin has already run over an officer in the past.

Justin James Grima, the 24-year old driver from Tarxien, was granted bail on Thursday.

He was arrested on Easter Saturday afternoon on St Joseph High Road in Ħamrun after being stopped by a traffic policeman in connection with the dark tinted windows of his Mitsubishi Shogun.

The man allegedly refused to obey legitimate police orders, sparking off an incident. He persistently refused to hand over his van keys and ended up knocking over a police motorbike before ultimately being arrested.

He was arraigned on Easter Sunday, pleading not guilty to multiple charges, including threatening the two police officers, willfully damaging the police motorbike, reckless driving, refusing to obey legitimate police orders, breach of peace and a number of other driving offences.

During the first hearing of the compilation of evidence last Friday, the court had heard how the driver had told the officers at the scene of the incident that he had allegedly been ferrying a sick child to the Floriana health centre.

One of the officers had testified to noticing a woman seated next to the driver of the Mitsubishi, with a young child on her lap, when he had first approached the vehicle and the driver lowered his window.

The driver had dropped off the woman and child at the Mile End area before making a U-turn, ignoring police orders to stop.

Witness was visibly uncomfortable 

As the compilation continued on Thursday, one civilian witness, a woman working at a nearby shop, recounted under oath how on that particular afternoon she heard a commotion outside and had ventured out of the shop where she spotted “an angry man” arguing in an agitated voice with a police officer.

The woman, visibly uncomfortable at the witness stand, identified that man as the accused and recalled how she had noticed a number of other officers on site but had gone back inside the shop after being told to do so by the police for her own safety.

A number of officers testified over their involvement in the incident, one sergeant, who had arrived on site after receiving a call for assistance, recalling how he had asked the accused to hand over his ID card.

The man had duly obeyed, refusing, however, to hand over his keys, fearing that the police would seize his van.

As the hearing drew to an end a fresh request for bail was upheld against a deposit of €4,000, a personal guarantee of €20,000, an order to sign the bail book three times a week and to abide by a curfew.

The accused is also to be monitored by a probation officer and to address his anger management problem. The court further issued a Protection Order in favour of the policemen involved in the incident.

The case continues in June.

Inspectors Pierguido Saliba and Matthew Galea prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.