A man with a staggering 109-page criminal record has been sentenced to two months in jail and fined €3,000 after being found guilty of animal cruelty and threatening police officers—despite being the one who called them for help.

Joseph Zahra was convicted of animal cruelty, threatening police officers, and relapsing, with Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia describing his record as “a litany of different offences.”

The incident dates back to 2nd November, 2019, when Zahra contacted police, claiming he feared that his estranged son was coming to his house and that there could be trouble. Officers arrived at the scene to find Zahra and his son in a heated argument.

However, instead of cooperating, Zahra turned on the police, threatening them and leading to his arrest.

During the altercation, Zahra’s son also alerted police to birds being kept in horrific conditions at the property. When officers investigated, they discovered several birds housed in run-down, filthy cages, some of them already dead.

Considering the circumstances, the court handed Zahra a two-month jail sentence and a €3,000 fine, highlighting the irony that he had called the police for protection, only to end up threatening them himself.

The case was prosecuted by Superintendent Melvyn Camilleri.

What do you make of this case?