A man serving a prison term over drug trafficking on the strength of a police statement he released without legal assistance, has stepped up his legal challenge to be freed by requesting the Constitutional court to declare that his fundamental rights had been breached. 

Last Friday, Magistrate Ian Farrugia ruled that the Magistrates' Court lacked the jurisdiction to decide the issue raised in an urgent application, filed that morning by 40-year-old Trevor Bonnici.

The fresh application submitted today, points out that the charges on which he had released his statement carried a maximum sentence of imprisonment for life and were, therefore, very serious.

Consequently, the First Hall of the Civil Court in its Constitutional jurisdiction is being asked to declare that Mr Bonnici's statement was taken and used against him in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. Mr Bonnici is also asking the court to  annul his sentence, which had been confirmed on appeal. 

He is also seeking damages for the breach of his rights.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Kris Busietta and Evelyn Borg Costanzi signed the application.