A drunk man who kicked up a racket at a Żejtun square in the early hours of Monday was granted bail upon his arraignment on Tuesday.

Taxi driver Alex Bonnici, a 28-year-old Qormi resident, was at the centre of a commotion that broke out in Bandolier Square when district police received a call for assistance at around 1.35am.

Officers converging at the site came across the unruly man who was making noise after having evidently had a drink too many. Upon sighting the police, also accompanied by members from the RIU, the man allegedly became aggressive, banging on and kicking several vehicles parked in the vicinity.

It was a sober and subdued man who sat before duty magistrate Neville Camilleri on Tuesday, pleading not guilty to charges of voluntary damage to five vehicles, including a motorbike and a police car.

He was further charged with behaving aggressively towards a police constable, disobeying legitimate police orders, being drunk in public and breaching the peace.

Prosecuting Inspector Roderick Attard did not object to the request for bail, as long as stringent conditions were imposed, requesting, however, a daily signing of the bail book.

In the light of the prosecution’s position, defence lawyer Franco Debono requested the court not to impose a curfew, even in view of the nature of his client’s work and the fact that “festivities were approaching”.

His client had possibly had one drink too many and had already learnt a lesson facing an arraignment under arrest, Dr Debono pointed out.

In the light of these submissions, the court upheld the request for bail against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000, ordering the man to sign the bail book twice a week.

Lawyer Marion Camilleri is also defence counsel.