Fabio Psaila, the wanted man who gave himself up to the police on Sunday, was remanded in custody this afternoon after he pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of PC Kenneth Ciangura and PC Kurt Gauci on June 30.

Mr Psaila, 36, of Sta Venera, also pleaded not guilty to the attempted hold-up on the HSBC headquarters in Qormi on the same day and of attempting to steal more €2,300 from Michael Mizzi in Attard on December 3.

He was charged with holding Mr Mizzi against his will.

Mr Psaila pleaded not guilty to all 27 charges, which also included the theft of a gun from a police constable, holding a police constable and two other people against their will, committing a crime using a weapon, damaging a number of police cars during the attempted hold up, being in possession of a weapon without a licence, firing a weapon in a inhabited area, stealing cars and making a false declaration.

He was also charged with committing crimes during the operative period of a suspended sentence and while under a conditional discharge.

There was no request for bail.