A prisoner who proudly calls himself by his nickname Il-Bomba threatened a number of prison warders and punched one of them because they would not listen to his complaints that a fellow prisoner had shingles, a court was told today.

Sylvester James, 29, originally from Marsa, assaulted correctional officer Alexander Desira and punched him in the face. 

Mr Desira told Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit that the incident happened early on June 12 when Mr James and his father, who also goes with the nickname Il-Bomba, so much so that he has it tattooed on his forehead, began complaining about a prisoner who had shingles. 

The father and son and the prisoner were in the same division, known as the single-room.

Mr Desira said the sick prisoner was not leaving his cell. 

He said that when the father and son came out of their cells, there was a small commotion because of the complaints about the sick prisoner. He said he had ordered that Mr James senior be escorted to another section because he was shouting and being rowdy. The decision did not go down well with the son who upped his complaints that his father was getting into trouble. It was at that point that Mr James punched Mr Desira in the face. 

Mr James stands charged with assaulting Mr Desira, slightly injuring him. He is also charged with threatening and offending 11 correctional officers who intervened when things got out of hand, disobeying their orders and trying to prevent them from carrying out their duties.

Mr James is pleading insanity and is being kept at the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel Psychiatric Hospital. 

Police Inspector Hubert Cini prosecuted. Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.

Mr James made headlines last June when he told Magistrate Aaron Bugeja and a police inspector: “Who the f*** do you think you are?” while testifying in a case against another prisoner, Jason Decelis, who is also facing criminal proceedings for assaulting a prison warder and for accusing him of a crime he knew did not take place.

Mr Decelis had made a false claim against the correctional officer, alleging he had ordered him to urinate on his cell floor instead of using the toilet.