A Maltese man is being held on charges of animal cruelty after he allegedly killed his own dog by grabbing it from its hind legs and bashing it against a bedside table.

Police were called to the 22-year-old Birkirkara man’s home last Sunday after his mother reported him for aggressive behaviour, allegedly due to drug withdrawal symptoms.

Testifying in court this afternoon, Inspector Christina Delia said that when officers arrived at his house, the accused flew into a rage, breaking his mother’s phone and bashing his dog against a bedside table. The dog later succumbed to its injuries.

The man was hit with a raft of charges, including animal abuse, violently resisting arrest and breaching his bail conditions.

He pleaded not guilty, with his legal aid lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace stating that the accused may not have been in full control of his actions due to his being under the influence of certain medications.

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