Man who threatened Gozo tribunal official jailed

A man who shouted threats at a Commissioner for Justice during a tribunal hearing in Gozo last July and then pressured the police force into charging one of its own officers for warning him to settle down, has been jailed amidst calls for increased protection of public officials.

Carmel Galea, 60, from Kercem was sentenced to six months imprisonment and fined €2,000 by magistrate Joseph Mifsud this morning, for his reaction to a number of unfavourable tribunal judgements that were handed down by Commissioner for Justice Mario Scerri last July. Galea needed to be restrained by police officers as he threatened the Commissioner, shouting “this doesn’t end here, you’ll get your comeuppance!”

In its judgment, the court noted that Galea’s lawyer Alfred Grech had stepped down as his legal counsel earlier this month, after ensuring that all the witnesses had been heard, citing the man’s courtroom antics and the difficulty he had in communicating with him as reasons for this.

Galea had boasted in court that he had been putting pressure on justice minister Owen Bonnici to have Scerri removed and magistrate Mifsud noted with approval the fact that Bonnici had “not paid any heed to someone who wanted to spitefully procure the removal of someone who was serving his official function in a just manner.”

However, the court noted with great displeasure that, unlike the minister, the police force had caved to Galea’s demand that it investigate a police sergeant who had warned him that he would have to answer for his courtroom behaviour.

Magistrate Mifsud condemned the fact that the sergeant had been investigated and later charged because of what he described as “the malign report that the accused had made.”

It was not right for a police officer to be penalised for doing his job, instead of someone who was flagrantly breaking the law, the court observed.

Finding Galea guilty of threatening a public officer acting in the line of duty, disobeying police orders, causing others to fear violence would be used against them and uttering insults or threats beyond the limits of provocation, the court handed the man a six-month custodial sentence together with a fine of €2,000.

“The court is not going to permit the halls of local tribunals and the courts becoming forums for shouting, threats and insults. The court, with great patience, heard this case over three sittings and weathered the accused’s arrogant and vindictive attitude. With this decision, the court wishes to give the message that whoever is called to be an operator in the justice sector is to enjoy the necessary protection allowing him to carry out his official functions in peace.”