Conditional discharge for abandoning horse at harbour

A horse owner received a conditional discharge for one year, after a court found him guilty of abandoning his horse at the Valletta Cruise Port Terminal for 45 minutes.

Paulsef Pirotta, 21 of Qormi, who owns the horse and karozzin, argued through his lawyer Robert Abela that he had left his horse after feeding him, because he received a call from his mother who had told him about another horse he owned which was unwell.

Pirotta claimed that he rushed to the stable to give the horse a jab, and left the other horse at the terminal.

The prosecution, led by PolicE Inspector Kylie Borg told Magistrate Antonio Vella that Pirotta had only returned after 45 minutes, because the police called him to ask him for his whereabouts, since the horse was alone.