A man who punched a policeman in the face was handed a suspended jail sentence by a court this afternoon.

Hungarian-born Istvan Meichl, 27, residing at Zebbuġ, Gozo, was marched to court this morning following his arrest yesterday morning.

The prosecution explained how at around 1.00am yesterday, the police had been asked to intervene at a Paceville establishment where a foreigner was pestering other customers at the bar.

Upon being approached and told off by three officers, the tipsy man refused to obey and instead punched a sergeant straight in the face, breaking his tooth and damaging his watch.

The police sergeant was taken to hospital to receive treatment while the troublemaker was taken to the local police station.

Before duty magistrate Gabriella Vella, the now-sober man admitted to having threatened the policemen, seriously injuring one of them, violently resisting arrest, damaging the officer’s watch, breached the peace, refusing to obey lawful police orders and being drunk in public.

The court condemned him to an 18-month jail term suspended for four years as well as a €4,000 fine. Moreover, the court imposed a four-year Treatment Order so that the accused might receive adequate treatment to solve his alcohol problem.

The man was further ordered to make good the damages suffered by the police officer which amounted to €1,685.

Inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted.
Lawyer Kris Busietta was defence counsel.