A man was remanded in custody yesterday after pleading not guilty to escaping from police custody and jumping into the sea to prevent arrest.

Andrea Busuttil, 27, from Sliema, had been on the wanted list since July 30.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard how on that day the police went to Mr Busuttil’s home armed with a search warrant over an investigation into his possible involvement in a robbery.

While the search was underway, Mr Busuttil escaped and could not be found anywhere.

He was spotted again on Tuesday evening but, when he realised he was surrounded by the police, he escaped again.

After a long run he jumped into the sea at Manoel Island.

Police Inspector Kurt Zahra, who was chasing Mr Busuttil, jumped in too and Mr Busuttil was arrested, despite his resistance.

He was charged with escaping from custody, assaulting and resisting Inspector Zahra, slightly injuring him, disobeying police orders, breaching the conditions of a previous release and relapsing.

On a request by defence lawyer Jason Azzopardi, the court recommended that Mr Busuttil be held at the Forensic Ward at Mount Carmel Hospital, in view of his acute drug addiction and psychiatric problems.

Magistrate Scerri Herrera appointed a psychiatrist to assess Mr Busuttil’s health condition.

Police Inspectors Saviour Baldacchino and John Spiteri prosecuted.