RIU officer denies assaulting motorist

An RIU police officer has denied claims made last week that he had admitted to assaulting a motorist and told a magistrate that the man and his relatives were making up a story to get him out of trouble. Rapid Intervention Unit officer David Camilleri, who along with his colleague, Mark Tonna, stands accused with assaulting driver Jean Paul Aquilina in Mġarr on May 3 said he was reserving the right to request that action be taken against those making the claims for perjury. Mr Aquilina, in a separate case, is himself accused of assaulting the two officers  but maintains he did not lift a finger against them. He stands charged dangerous driving, assaulting the officers and disobeying their orders. Mr Camilleri filed an application before Magistrate Carol Peralta, who is presiding over his case, claiming that although Mr Aquilina was insisting he did not drink, he and his girlfriend, Jasione Vassallo, were administrators of the Facebook group called: “For who enjoys getting drunk and making a fool of himself at weekends”. “The only aim that the Vassallo family members have is to get Mr Aquilina out of the trouble he got into due to his violent and aggressive behaviour towards...