Man fined, given probation after threatening former co-workers with knives

A former restaurant manager has been fined and sentenced to probation for returning to the Gzira brasserie he had just been fired from and threatening the staff with knives.

Before magistrate Kevan Azzopardi this morning, 53-year-old Pierre Walton from Gzira pleaded guilty to charges relating to an incident on August 5, where he threatened the brasserie’s employees and directors while drunk.

He was carrying two knives, described as bread knives by his lawyers, at the time of the offence.

The court was told how Walton had been summarily dismissed from his job for turning up for work drunk. He had gone back home and retrieved the two knives, before telling his sister that he was going to kill his former boss.

His sister is understood to have immediately called the police, who arrested him at the restaurant.

Police Inspector Jonathan Ransley charged Walton with causing his former boss and co-workers to fear violence, carrying the two knives in public without a police permit, breaching the peace, being drunk in a public place and uttering insults and threats.

The defendant pleaded guilty, confirming his plea, despite being given an opportunity to withdraw his admission.

Taking into account the man’s early admission of guilt and clean criminal record, Walton was fined €200 for the knife charge and placed on probation for three years. A protection order was issued in favour of the employees and directors of the brasserie.

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin were defence counsel.