Milan, 25 August (LaPresse) – “My client answered all the questions, firmly denied the charge of drug dealing – which we consider to be completely unfounded – and instead made a confession regarding the possession of the firearm.” So said Niccolò Vecchioni, defence lawyer for the trapper Tony Boy, at the end of the preliminary hearing at San Vittore prison in Milan. The hearing lasted just over an hour, before investigating magistrate Chiara Valori. The singer, whose real name is Antonio Hueber, aged 26, was arrested at dawn on Saturday morning by the police on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cocaine, cannabis and hashish, and for the possession of an unregistered 6.35-calibre Beretta pistol, along with around fifty rounds of ammunition. “We have requested that no pre-trial measures be imposed on him or, alternatively, that he be placed under house arrest,” the lawyer continued. “We are awaiting the judge’s decision, which is likely to be handed down today.” Regarding the pistol, Vecchioni explained that “the weapon was held for the purpose of self-defence. He had been the victim of a burglary, which was duly reported several months ago, and in response to this incident he had decided to acquire this weapon.” When asked whether the pistol was held legally, he replied that it was not. On the matter of the drugs, the defence focused on addiction: “These are modest quantities of narcotics held by an individual with a well-established and documented addiction to multiple substances, who has sufficient financial means to procure the substance, including for personal use. The possession can definitely be classified as not criminally relevant.” The video streamed live on social media during the search remains outside the scope of the case file for the time being. “As it was not the subject of any pre-trial charge, it was not addressed during the questioning,” said the defence lawyer, who noted that the alleged breach of the Data Protection Act would form part of any criminal proceedings that have not yet been initiated. Vecchioni added that he had filed a request with the Milan police headquarters to obtain a copy of the theft report, which could not be obtained within the tight timeframe of the validation hearing.
Milan: Tony Boy admits to possession of a weapon and drug addiction, but denies the charge of drug dealing
Milan, 25 August (LaPresse) – “My client answered all the questions, firmly denied the charge of drug dealing – which we consider to be completely unfounded – and instead made a confession regarding the possession of the firearm.” So said Niccolò Vecchioni, defence lawyer for the trapper Tony Boy, at the end of the preliminary hearing at San Vittore prison in Milan. The hearing lasted just over an hour, before investigating magistrate Chiara Valori. The singer, whose real name is Antonio Hueber, aged 26, was arrested at dawn on Saturday morning by the police on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cocaine, cannabis and hashish, and for the possession of an unregistered 6.35-calibre Beretta pistol, along with around fifty rounds of ammunition. “We have requested that no pre-trial measures be imposed on him or, alternatively, that he be placed under house arrest,” the lawyer continued. “We are awaiting the judge’s decision, which is likely to be handed down today.” Regarding the pistol, Vecchioni explained that “the weapon was held for the purpose of self-defence. He had been the victim of a burglary, which was duly reported several months ago, and in response to this incident he had decided to acquire this weapon.” When asked whether the pistol was held legally, he replied that it was not. On the matter of the drugs, the defence focused on addiction: “These are modest quantities of narcotics held by an individual with a well-established and documented addiction to multiple substances, who has sufficient financial means to procure the substance, including for personal use. The possession can definitely be classified as not criminally relevant.” The video streamed live on social media during the search remains outside the scope of the case file for the time being. “As it was not the subject of any pre-trial charge, it was not addressed during the questioning,” said the defence lawyer, who noted that the alleged breach of the Data Protection Act would form part of any criminal proceedings that have not yet been initiated. Vecchioni added that he had filed a request with the Milan police headquarters to obtain a copy of the theft report, which could not be obtained within the tight timeframe of the validation hearing.