A man was today fined €850 and conditionally discharged for a year after being found guilty of offending a police officer when he called him “a frying pan”.

Patrick Sciberras, 37, from St Paul’s Bay, was arraigned before Magistrate Charmaine Galea this afternoon on charges of insulting a police officer, offending public morals, giving false details to the police, breaching the peace and relapsing.

Prosecuting Inspector Godwin Scerri told the court that Mr Sciberras had told a traffic policeman “hawn ja frying pan” as he drove past him on his motorcycle.

However, Mr Sciberras denied calling him that, admitting that he had consumed “a couple of drinks”. He said he remembered the traffic policeman radioing for assistance and there was “a commotion” when Rapid Intervention Police arrived on the scene.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono said the entire issue was over an “exaggerated reaction to a perceived insult”, saying that there was no need to involve the RIU or the district police.

The accused apologised and said he retracted anything which could have been perceived as an insult.

The court, however, found him guilty of the charges, conditionally discharging him for a year and fining him €850.