A family man who lost his temper at a gang of festa enthusiasts who damaged his home has been fined.
Carmelo Falzon had rushed to his Qormi house after his panicked wife had called him up and told him that their garage door had been damaged while locals were putting up festa decorations.
A forklift used to put up decorations had skidded on the wet road after a summer downpour and smashed into a parked vehicle which was, in turn, slammed against the garage door of the accused’s home.
The incident on that June afternoon at around 3.15pm had sparked an argument in the course of which someone had banged his fist against the damaged door.
The commotion had terrified the mother and children inside.
When Mr Falzon arrived, he had angrily demanded an explanation for the damage caused to his property.
“He was behaving like a father and home owner,” the court observed when delivering judgment just over a year after the incident.
However, he ought to have adopted a different attitude, demanding an explanation in a calm manner, the court went on.
Mr Falzon had ended up being handcuffed by police. He told the court that he had only been demanding an explanation.
However, an officer who testifed painted a different picture, recalling how he had tried to get at the men who damaged the door, beating his chest and telling them “hit me, not the door”.
Officers had been forced to subdue him after he refused to obey their orders, the policeman had said. One policeman had suffered slight abrasions while another one had suffered a muscle strain in the ensuing struggle.
Magistrate Joseph Mifsud said that the accused was not a troublemaker by nature but had lost his temper.
He added that police orders were to be obeyed immediately and that every officer deserved respect, especially when even the slightest tension broke out.
The court found Mr Falzon guilty of slightly injuring the policemen, refusing to obey their orders and breaching the peace.
He was cleared of insulting, threatening and violently resisting the officers, landing a €500 for his wrongdoing.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.