A former prisoner charged over theft yesterday told a magistrate there was no help to be had for his drug problem in prison.

Sandro Mifsud, 37, who was released from jail three months ago after spending 12 years inside for drug trafficking, said he never got any help there. Those who went to the in-house drug rehabilitation programme at Satu, the Substance Abuse Therapeutic Unit, were not really there to be cured, he claimed.

Mr Mifsud, of St Paul’s Bay, made the comments during his arraignment yesterday over the theft of items from bags on a beach in Buġibba two weeks ago. He pleaded not guilty to being an accomplice.

Defence lawyer Veronique Dalli started by contesting the validity of the arrest because more than 48 hours had elapsed. This is the maximum time allowed by law to keep someone under arrest. Senior Magistrate Silvio Meli replied that the sitting had been postponed because of a fire that took place downstairs. See also story on page 3.

In pleas on bail, Police Inspector Therese Sciberras said the police had been looking for Mr Mifsud ever since another magistrate issued a warrant for his arrest last week.

She added that ever since he got out of prison, he was living with his mother, who had told her she did not want him at home anymore.

The inspector said the mother had left home and was living at Dar Merħba Bik, a residence for victims of domestic abuse.

Dr Dalli rebutted, saying she had very different information and that the mother was in fact living at home.

Magistrate Meli asked Mr Mifsud’s mother Maria to enter the courtroom and explain the situation.

Mrs Mifsud said her son was ordering her about when she was the one who was meant to do the ordering. For example, her son had told her she was not allowed to bring friends home.

She was paying the rent and all living expenses, she added. After all she had done for him, going back and forth to prison taking care of him, this was the thanks she got.

Mr Mifsud apologised to his mother and said that such incidents would never happen again. He was afraid of people and of society, he added.

Accepting the apology, Mrs Mifsud said she would accept him back home on condition that he behaved himself.

The magistrate granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000.