No bail for anti-social neighbour who breached protection order issued to neighbours
Qormi man, 69, denied bail after being arraigned on threats and intimidation directed at his neighbours, and breaching a protection order
A man from Qormi pleaded guilty to breaching a protection order issued in favour of his neighbours by insulting and threatening them.
69-year-old George Muscat was arraigned before magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit on Thursday on charges relating to threats and intimidation directed at his neighbours.
The man is understood to have previously been arraigned over similar incidents, in which he would allegedly shout insults and threats at his neighbours, whenever they were at home.
Lawyer Adriano Spiteri, assisting Muscat, told the court that his client would be pleading guilty to the charges and requested that the defendant be released on bail until a pre-sentencing report was compiled.
The request for bail was objected to by lawyer Michaela Giglio, appearing for the man’s neighbours. “He didn’t understand a protection order, so how is he going to abide by bail conditions?” Giglio asked, pointing out that the victims lived three doors away from his house and telling the court that the man also owned a firearm which he kept at home.
Bail should not be granted until the man received the treatment he required, she said.
The court denied bail at this stage, in spite of the man's early admission of guilt and issued a treatment order for alcohol abuse, as well as a protection order for the victims.
Magistrate Stafrace Zammit explained that the court had to be sure that the defendant was responding positively to the treatment order before it would consider granting bail.
Police Inspector Doriette Cuschieri prosecuted.