A public employee and his father who admitted to threatening and insulting the executive secretary of the Żejtun local council, were fined €2,000 upon arraignment on Santa Maria. 

Court on Thursday heard that tensions had been simmering for a while between the executive secretary and 22-year-old Ayrton Camilleri, an employee at the Notary to Government office who had been seconded to the Żejtun's council office.

Camilleri’s lawyer Herman Mula said the two had had some arguments in the past but the situation boiled over on Wednesday, prompting a call for assistance from the Żejtun council office to the police. 

Officers who went on site found Camilleri arguing with Falzon. 

Both men - as well as the mayor - were asked to go to the district police station to provide their version of events. 

While that process was ongoing, Camilleri’s father - 64-year-old Emmanuele - entered the police station.

“Are you Anton?” asked the man, addressing the council secretary. 

When the other man replied in the affirmative, the father began to threaten and verbally assault him. 

The police stepped in to restore calm. 

But the verbal aggression resumed once the council secretary and the Camilleri duo stepped outside. 

The Camilleris continued to threaten and insult Falzon, leading to their arrest.

On Thursday, the pair were escorted to court and charged with insulting and threatening the executive secretary who was carrying out public duties. 

Both registered an admission which they confirmed after being duly warned by the court that they were each liable to a maximum fine of €5,000. 

Their lawyer pointed out that the fact that the accused had already spent 24 hours under preventive arrest was in itself a form of punishment.

Such incidents would normally be prosecuted under summons, rather than under arrest.

However, it was for the police to decide upon the manner of prosecution.

Neither father nor son were “criminals”, argued Mula. The whole episode was to serve both father and son a lesson, said the lawyer, suggesting a conditional discharge by way of punishment. 

The prosecution did not object. 

However, after hearing those submissions the court, presided over by Magistrate Charmaine Galea, imposed a fine in respect of both. 

The father was fined €1,200, while his son was fined €800. 

The court also upheld the prosecution’s request for a restraining order, warning the defendants that although they could visit the Żejtun local council offices, they were not to address the executive secretary. 

Inspector John Sammut prosecuted.

Lawyer Herman Mula was the defence counsel.