A man on medication for depression drank eight beers before punching a police officer in the face and stabbing another shortly after he was denied entry to a nightclub, a court heard yesterday.

Kevin Attard, 39, is on trial for the attempted murder of police constable Jonathan Farrugia on April 26, 2003.

The court heard that Mr Attard had gone bar hopping in Paceville at around 11 p.m. before deciding to go to Fuego nightclub at around 3.30 a.m.

An officer who was on duty at the nightclub, Sergeant Andrew St John, testified that he was outside with the head of the security personnel when they heard some noise further up the road.

They looked to see what was going on and noticed the accused arguing with some people and then making his way towards the club. The sergeant told the security guards not to allow him in because of the way he was walking and because it looked like he was going to cause trouble.

Mr Attard walked up to the gate and they asked him for a membership card, a tactic they use when they don't want to let someone in because they have a strong suspicion about them, the officer said.

When the accused became aggressive, PS St John stepped in; when difficult people see the police they often calm down, he said.

The officer asked the accused to leave and the latter turned around as if he was going to, when all of the sudden he punched the witness.

If the officer hadn't already turned his body slightly, to leave the scene, Mr Attard would have seriously injured him because his punch was a "full swing", PS St John said.

He called for assistance and the mobile squad turned up and tried to arrest the accused. But he offered such resistance that "it was like he was possessed", PS St John said.

He was kicking, lashing out, swearing and even damaged one of the police car's front seats because he could not be contained.

Before placing him in the car they carried out a search on him but he was so violent, kicking out, that they could only search his upper body. So the police decided to carry out a body search at the St Julians police station.

On arrival, two officers from the dog section were standing outside on the parapet, having stopped to take a break, while another officer, PC Farrugia, was taking phone calls inside.

The accused sat down and immediately seemed to calm down. In fact, he was conversing normally with the police and answering questions coherently. They carried out a body search but nothing was found besides car keys, cigarettes and so on.

Taking the witness stand, PC Farrugia said the accused asked him if he could smoke a cigarette and he replied that it were better if he smoked inside, since he was stationed there alone.

At one point, the policeman got up to make a coffee and when he turned around the accused was outside on the parapet, smoking. He called him in again but was ignored so he went out to get him to come in.

As they walked back into the station, with the officer behind him, the accused suddenly turned and stabbed him in the stomach.

Since he was concentrating on controlling the accused, he didn't react to the pain of the stab wound until the other officers helped him to place the accused in the station's cell, PC Farrugia testified.

He suffered a single stab wound to the stomach and was released from hospital the following day.

In a statement to the police, Mr Attard said he was passing through a difficult time, since his underage girlfriend at the time had got pregnant and as a result he was very nervous and was even receiving treatment for depression.

He was also on pills and should not have been drinking alcohol, he said.

Jurors were yesterday shown a brushed metal pen knife with a serrated edge, a blood stained shirt and a black police jacket with a small hole in it which were among other items presented as evidence.

The trial continues.

Lawyer Lara Lanfranco from the Attorney General's Office prosecuted.

Lawyers José Herrera and Veronique Dalli appeared for Mr Attard.