Convicted criminal Darren Debono, 37, today pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of three security officials during a spectacular but unsuccessful ambush on a private security van transporting around €2.8 million in cash in Sta Venera in January 2010.

Known as it-Topo, Mr Debono was also charged with holding the three security officials against their will and being in possession of a weapon.

Three vans, a pickup truck, a motorcycle and a bulldozer were used in the failed heist that targeted bank money being carried in a van belonging to Security Services Ltd.

Today, Mr Debono also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of two security officials working with City Security in 2006 and stealing €168,000 from Eurochange financial serices in Qormi.

In all, Mr Debono today pleaded not guilty to a list 49 charges of crimes allegedly committed between 2006 and 2010 which also included using violence to force security officials to act against their will, throwing a slippery liquid in the road, damaging a number of cars, stealing a number of cars and licence plates, swapping the plates between the stolen cars.

He was also charged with forming part of an organisation or financing crimes, conspiring to commit a crime and relapsing.

Mr Debono was jailed five years last September after he admitted to taking part in a hold-up on a jeweller and his son on December 3, 2010.

He has also been charged with masterminding other hold-ups including the failed heist on the HSBC headquarters in 2010.