Conditionally discharged over blackmail bluff

Dennis Catania was conditionally discharged for three years after pleading guilty to blackmailing and slandering former government minister Jason Azzopardi.

On the advice of his defence lawyer, the accused, a electrician, admitted to calling Azzopardi on the phone in a flash of anger and slandering him. He apologised for his actions.

Prosecuting Inspector Chris Pullicino confirmed that the accused cooperated with the police.

The case concerns an alleged property right over a field in Gudja. After his mother's uncle died without issue, the property was passed over to the Joint Office, the government department that handles land belonging to the Catholic archdiocese.

Catania expected that the land would be passed over to him, and after two fruitless years of complaints to the Office of the Prime Minister, the accused called the Nationalist party headquarters threatening that he would publicise a recording of Jason Azzopardi, ostensibly giving the impression that its contents would be damaging to the minister.

The former minister confirmed under oath that the accused had later informed him that he was bluffing and did not have any recordings.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit conditionally discharged Catania for three years and placed Dr Azzopardi under a protection order for one year. Azzopardi was aided by lawyers Steve Tonna Lowell and Kris Busietta. Dr Peter Fenech appeared for the accused.