A magistrate yesterday berated acting prisons director, Abraham Zammit, over the fact that an inmate arrived late for a court hearing that had to be put off.

The inmate is Romeo Bone, who stands charged with stalking PC Mario Portelli, the whistleblower on an alleged crime gang led by lawyer David Gatt, a former police inspector. Magistrate Silvio Meli wanted to know why Mr Bone had not been brought to court on time on Monday.

Superintendent Zammit said there were a number of prisoners who had to be escorted that day. But the magistrate cut him short telling him not to come up with excuses and insisting on knowing the “precise reason” for the delay.

The officer said that on their way from the forensic unit at Mount Carmel Hospital, where Mr Bone is held in preventive custody, a car broke down causing a traffic jam.

Magistrate Meli was not happy with this either and declared he did not believe this explanation either. Supt Zammit noted he was under oath and was saying the truth but the magistrate fired back: “And I don’t believe you under oath”.

The case against Mr Bone then continued with the court hearing more evidence. Police Inspector Michael Mallia said the police had received information that Mr Bone allegedly planned to kill PC Portelli. On the same day this information was received, PC Portelli himself reported spotting Mr Bone outside his house in the car with another man, Jeffrey Busuttil. The officer decided to follow Mr Bone and Mr Busuttil before he was joined by a mobile squad team, who arrested Mr Bone, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued. Charges were not filed against Mr Busuttil.

Inspector Mallia said PC Portelli had told him he had seen Mr Bone twice outside his house on another occasion and a third time outside a farmhouse owned by his father and which he himself uses.

The case continues.