A policeman denied claims made in court last week that he had admitted assaulting a motorist.

The officer told a magistrate yesterday the driver and his relatives were “making up a story” to get the motorist out of trouble.

Rapid Intervention Unit officer David Camilleri, who along with his colleague Mark Tonna stands charged with assaulting Jean Paul Aquilina in Mġarr on May 3, said he was reserving the right to request that action be taken against the witnesses for perjury.

Mr Aquilina is himself accused of assaulting the two officers but maintains he did not hit them. He stands charged with dangerous driving, assaulting the officers and disobeying their orders.

Mr Camilleri filed an application before Magistrate Carol Peralta claiming that, although Mr Aquilina was insisting he did not drink, he and his girlfriend, Jasione Vassallo, were administrators of a Facebook group called ‘For those who enjoy getting drunk and making a fool of themselves during the weekend’.

“The Vassallo family members’ only aim is to get Mr Aquilina out of the trouble he got into due to his violent and aggressive behaviour towards members of the police force who were simply carrying out their duties,” Mr Camilleri said in his application.

He asked that Magistrate Peralta hear and decide both cases simultaneously.

Police Sergeant Kevin Camilleri and Constable Kurt Gauci, who were the first officers to respond to the call for assistance and who handcuffed the motorist, testi-fied yesterday.

The sergeant said Mr Aquilina and Mr Camilleri were side by side, locked in a struggle, with Mr Tonna between them trying to separate them.

Mr Gauci testified that Mr Aquilina was squatting over Mr Camilleri and Mr Tonna was grabbing him by the shoulders, trying to pull him off his colleague.

Police Sergeant David Cini, who arrived on site from the Mosta police station soon after the incident, said he decided not to carry out a breathalyser test “because I had no reasonable suspicion he was drunk”.

“”He did not look drunk and neither was he behaving as someone who had been drinking. I did not smell any alcohol in his breath and he was speaking clearly and was not aggressive towards me. Given all these factors, I decided not to carry out the test,” he said. He noted that, having spoken to everyone involved in the case, Mr Tonna was rarely mentioned by Mr Aquilina, Ms Vassallo and their relatives except for his involvement in holding Mr Aquilina down on the ground.

There were also different versions on Mr Camilleri’s uniform, which looks torn in photos exhibited in court. While Mr Cini and Mr Gauci testified seeing the officer’s uniform intact, not only at Mġarr but also at the Mosta police station, Mr Camilleri said it was ripped.

The case continues next week.

Lawyer Mario de Marco is appearing for Mr Aquilina, lawyer Tonio Azzopardi is appearing for Mr Camilleri and lawyer Arthur Azzopardi is representing Mr Tonna.