A prison inmate was today fined €50 for contempt of court for using foul language in court, but his fine was soon doubled when he told a magistrate and a police inspector: "Who the hell do you think you are?"

As if that was not enough, prisoner Sylvester James then continued being unruly in Magistrate Aaron Bugeja's courtroom, telling him he could fine him all he wanted because he was not going to pay a cent.

"You can fine me as much as you want because I am not going to pay a cent. Whatever the amount, I will spend it in jail," he said.

When Police Inspector Spridione Zammit tried to explain that it was a magistrate he was speaking to, Mr James replied: "As if I care...and I am Il-Bomba".

After having been fined for contempt of court, Mr James sarcastically told the magistrate: "Do you accept payment by cheque or do you prefer cash?" The magistrate remained clam and ordered him out of his courtroom.

Mr James lost it after having given evidence in a case against Jason Decelis, a prisoner who stands charged with assaulting a prison warder, offending him and accusing him of committing a crime he knew did not happen.

Criminal action against Mr Declis began after a magisterial inquiry concluded that his allegations that a correctional officer had ordered him to urinate on his cell’s floor instead of using the toilet in an act of “bullying” was not true.

Mr Decelis is serving a 25-year-prison sentence for the murder by omission of 18-year-old Rachel Bowdler. Ms Bowdler’s lifeless body was found in a field near Mġarr, on May 13, 2001. She was placed there after losing consciousness from a heroin overdose while she and Jason Decelis were in his mother's flat in Buġibba.

Mr James testified that at no time did he see anyone hitting Mr Decelis and that all he heard was the correctional officer telling Mr Decelis to use another bathroom as the one he wanted to use was one used by officials.

His testimony proceeded smoothly but he then objected to clarification questions. He interpreted the questions as attempts by the police and the court to confuse him and that he "will not fall for their antics"

"You're not going to manage to confuse me," he told the inspector and the magistrate before asking who they thought they were, spicing it up with foul language in the Maltese language.

The case continues.