A young man who regained his freedom just last month is back in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of trying to steal a car.

Abdikarim Isman Omar, a 21-year old Somali national, was caught in the early hours of Thursday morning trying to "jump start the engine" of a parked van in Marsa, prosecuting officer inspector Daryl Borg told the court.

Mr Omar was arrested charged with attempted theft, criminal damage, possession of cannabis resin and being drunk in public.

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He pleaded not guilty, with prosecutors objecting to his lawyer Noel Bartolo's request for bail.

Inspector Borg said that although Mr Omar had told the police that he lived in San Ġwann, his ID card showed otherwise. Besides, “he wasn’t even sure of the flat number or street name,” the prosecutor added.

In view of the nature of the charges, the objections raised by the prosecution, as well as because the accused had no real ties to Malta, duty magistrate Ian Farrugia rejected the request for bail and and remanded the man in custody.

Mr Omar had been jailed for 9 months and fined €950 last December on drug-related charges.

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