A migrant fumed in court this morning after a magistrate sent him to prison for leaving Malta illegally.

The migrant, a Syrian, survived drowning in the tragedy off Lampedusa on October 12.

He was rescued and brought to Malta, from where he procured a fake passport and flew to the Netherlands.

He was re-arrested and sent back to Malta.

The police arraigned him this morning. He told the court that he was grateful for  having been rescued and brought to Malta and he admitted he had left the island illegally.

Police Inspector Jean Farrugia said that the Maltese authorities were receiving a number of migrants after they escaped from Malta and were repatriated. 

When he heard the judge telling him he would be sent to prison, the migrant, in between sobs and anger said in a loud voice that if he was sent to prison, he would do something which all of Malta would know about.

Court officials calmed him down and escorted him out.

His lawyer Mark Anthony Mifsud Cutajar filed an application for the migrant to be given psychiatric treatment. He also filed an appeal.