A 44-year-old man has been fined €2,000 and handed a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of threatening and spitting at a LESA officer who asked him to move his illegally parked vehicle in San Ġwann.James Grima was charged over an incident that took place on 26th April 2025 in Triq in-Naxxar, when he parked his van on double yellow lines near a corner while making a delivery, obstructing the road as reported by Times of Malta.The LESA officer told the court that she initially had no intention of issuing him a fine and had simply asked him to move his vehicle. However, Grima allegedly began swearing at her, calling her a “purċinella” and making gestures with his hands.The officer then decided to issue him a ticket, at which point Grima reportedly became more aggressive, swore at her again and spat at her. She subsequently reported the incident to the police.Two months later, the officer encountered Grima again in Msida, where he approached her and asked her to forgive him in court. However, he also accused her of sending people to beat him up, an allegation she denied. Concerned for her safety, she filed another police report.During court proceedings, Grima denied threatening or spitting at the officer, claiming he had merely honked his horn at her.However, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech noted several inconsistencies in his testimony and highlighted his antagonistic behaviour in court, which was so disruptive that he was also found guilty of contempt of court and fined.The magistrate questioned how Grima could be expected to have remained calm during the incident when he was unable to control his anger even while testifying in court.The court also took into account his previous criminal record and the fact that he had failed to apologise for his actions.Grima was consequently sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years, and fined €2,000.•