Tourists claim notorious Peter's Pool kiosk owner pointed gun at them

Two tourists claimed the notorious owner of a kiosk at St Peter’s Pool pointed a firearm at their face after they found the tyres of their rental car slashed.

The terrified pair, who spoke to Times of Malta on condition of anonymity, identified the owner as the same man filmed in viral videos hurling stones and being aggressive towards other tourists.

They said the incident happened on August 4, when they drove their rental car to St Peter’s Pool early in the morning to watch the sunrise. The driver said he left the car for 10 minutes close to the kiosk owner’s premises while he and his friend went to watch the sunrise. When they returned, they discovered both tyres on one side were deflated.

“On closer inspection, we could see clean cuts in the tyre. It was clear someone had slashed them,” the driver said.

The two approached the premises, believing the property owner could have been the only individual responsible.

“There was nobody else around, so my friend was asking, ‘Hello, can you help us?’ Then he said, ‘Okay, we know it was you who slashed our tires’.”

I opened the wrong freezer to grab an ice cream, and he immediately raised his voice at me

The tourist said an initial silence was followed by a commotion inside the property, and a dog began barking. A “massive boom” was then heard before a man emerged, allegedly brandishing a firearm.

“He came out with a shotgun which he pointed at my friend’s face,” the shocked tourist said. The man reportedly ordered them to leave.

Fearing for their safety, the two immediately raised their arms in the air and retreated to the main road, abandoning their damaged car and taking a cab to the nearest police station where they informed police of their ordeal. Contacted for comment, the kiosk owner, through his lawyer Franco Debono, denied the allegations.

The St Peter’s Pool kiosk has been at the centre of controversy this month following three videos which surfaced on social media showing the owner’s aggressive behaviour towards tourists.

The owner was filmed hurling rocks at tourists and shouting at and aggressively kicking out customers from his premises.

Police investigating

In a reply to questions, the police said they opened an investigation into the social media videos that went viral this month but would not clearly confirm whether they are specifically investigating the more serious allegations made by the tourists who claim the owner pointed a gun at their face.

Sources close to police, however, said charges against the owner have been issued and the kiosk was shut down days later. It remains unclear what charges were issued, and over which incidents.

It is also unclear whether the owner shut down the kiosk voluntarily or was forced to shut down by the authorities.

The two tourists told Times of Malta that for fear of retaliation and the need to return to their home country some days later, they chose not to file a formal report after police told them they would be required to physically testify in court if charges were issued.

Times of Malta also asked police if they investigated whether the kiosk is covered with the necessary planning permits to operate as a commercial establishment.

In its reply, a police spokesperson said they “conducted inspections on site and is in contact with other authorities, including the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), which are responsible for issuing such permits”.

‘Hell on earth’

The kiosk has abysmal reviews on Google Reviews, with an overall two-star rating.

One of the bluntest reviews read: “Don’t go if you value your life and the enjoyment of it”.

Another one wrote: “The place is hell on earth. If you want to feel threatened and uncomfortable, this is the perfect place”.

One customer said: “I’ll never eat here again because the owner is one of the most unpleasant people I’ve ever met. I opened the wrong freezer to grab an ice cream, and he immediately raised his voice at me. His bar could be the last food on earth and I would not go”.

The owner was described as “the worst person and the worst bar in the entire island” and “the rudest owner with the rudest behaviour to the customers”.

Another added: “One star is too much. Owner is rude and throws stones at guests”.

Another said they almost got a chair thrown at them as the owner was kicking out another customer.

“Horrible, disgusting, and violent! We feared for our lives. We arrived with a baby, and while we were settling in, the owner became impatient and rudely asked us to leave, even to the point of insulting us and throwing stones at us as we drove out of the parking lot. All this with a baby just a few months old with us,” another customer wrote.

Criminal record, enforcement notices

A quick scan of the Planning Authority website also reveals the kiosk has been hit with several enforcement notices over a list of infractions over the years, among them the construction of multiple rooms and structures without permits, the conversion of an agricultural field into a commercial establishment and a car park, the installation of a caravan and paving.

He also faced multiple legal proceedings spanning over a decade, with accusations ranging from property damage and violence to theft and resisting arrest.

In one case he was accused of holding a woman in his premises against her will for over nine hours and for illegally possessing a firearm and firing it (not in the direction of people).

He was found guilty of all charges in a 2013 decision, receiving a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine.

In a separate case, he was also accused of escaping police custody and disobeying orders. He pleaded guilty and was fined €500, with his two-year suspended sentence extended by four years. The same year, he was also accused of stealing electricity. He was acquitted of this charge in 2016 after the utility company withdrew the criminal proceedings.

In 2017, he was accused of arson, theft, and voluntary damage to property. He was placed under a two-year probation order and community service after admitting guilt.