A man who threatened to attack and beat Nationalist MP Adrian Delia has been given a conditional discharge after admitting to the crime.
Etienne Borda, 41, posted the violent message to Facebook in September 2021, writing in Maltese:
“Delia you clown. You need me to come there again, you’ll see how I’ll beat you out with a broom. There are a handful of you who I will hit with the weapon that killed Raymond Caruana. Ask Dione and he’ll tell you where it is lol.”
Caruana was a PN member who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1986. His murder has never been solved.
Borda was charged before magistrate Ian Farrugia on Friday with having used hate speech, threatening Delia and threatening to commit a crime.
He admitted to charges and was conditionally discharged for one year and ordered to pay a €250 fine.
The case is the latest in a string of hate speech cases brought to court by the police, in an attempt to crack down on violent and threatening language on social media.
Borda was represented by lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri. Inspectors Kylie Borg and John Spiteri prosecuted the case.