Police officers who were faced by a man brandishing a screw driver when they arrived to search a house in Balzan, walked into the building to find another man who had overdosed on heroin, a magistrate heard.

Anthony Abela, 41, was jailed for six months and fined €500 after admitting to resisting arrest. He was also found guilty of trafficking and being in possession of cocaine.

When police officers were ordered to carry out a search in a house in Balzan, they radioed the mobile squad for assistance after Mr Abela approached them brandishing a screw driver. He was told three times to drop the weapon before handing it over to the officers.

Upon entering the house, the police found David Zammit who had overdosed on heroin. He had a belt around his arm and a number of syringes lay on the floor.

Mr Zammit testified that he got to know Mr Abela in 1999 when the two met outside a political club in Birkirkara and he had asked whether Mr Abela could supply him with drugs if he gave him cash.

He had handed over a Lm10 note to Mr Abela and they shared a packet of drugs in a field in San Ġwann. He said that for four months before his arrest he would always use drugs with Mr Abela. In the two weeks before his arrest he said had been abusing drugs everyday, adding that Mr Abela would cook the drugs in an ice tea can.

Mr Abela said it was Mr Zammit who had given him the drugs and denied having ever bought drugs for Mr Zammit.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano deemed the version given by the accused not credible, adding that it was enough for one to even give advice on where to find drugs in order for one to be found guilty of trafficking in the substance.

Finding Mr Abela guilty of all the charges brought against him, the court jailed him for six months and fined him €500.