Man charged with theft from eatery claims he was beaten while retrieving phone

A man charged with theft from a Ħamrun  eatery he used to work at, claimed on Friday he had only returned to retrieve his phone.

The man was chased and detained by his former employer, who also called the police on him.

His lawyer is claiming excessive force - as evidenced by his blood-stained top - during the citizen's arrest, but the man was denied bail after pleading not guilty to attempted theft.

Pakeetharan Khathirkamanathan, a 31-year-old Sri Lanka factory worker living in Marsa who also works in eateries in the evening, was arraigned hours after being detained by the fast food shop owners.

Prosecuting Inspector Andy Rotin told court on Friday that the call came through at around 5.30am on Friday from one of the owners of the restaurant on Schembri Street. 

They had allegedly come across their former employee inside their premises and chased after him when he fled the scene. 

Less than a month ago, the accused was arraigned over a string of alcohol and cash thefts from the same shop, the court was told. 

Defence lawyer David Bonello however argued that the accused had returned to the restaurant to retrieve his mobile phone which he claimed to be still in possession of his...