A man who claimed to be related to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and pretended to throw a hand grenade at the French embassy in Valletta before injuring a police constable has been remanded in custody.

Aimen Mohammed Abdallah Ali, 38, who claims to be a doctor, was accused of injuring the policewoman, who suffered a broken finger when he allegedly assaulted her after she attempted to stop him.

He was also accused of disobeying police orders, refusing to give his details, breaching the peace and living a vagrant life.

Police Inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee, prosecuting, said the man had behaved in a strange manner for a few days preceding the incident, pretending to throw grenades at the embassy building.

A policewoman stationed outside the building on Friday ordered him to stop, prompting the assault. He injured her and ran away, but was arrested shortly after.

Early in Monday's sitting the man tried to rush out of the courtroom, pushing two policemen aside before being pinned down by a number of officers in the law courts corridor.

He was handcuffed and led back into the hall, where he apologised. The man is to be held at Mount Carmel Hospital and medically examined.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop was defence counsel.