Police are set to charge a fundamentalist Mosta priest over online hate speech after he publicly commented that being gay was worse than being possessed by demons.

The charges are set to be handed out towards the end of January, MaltaToday reported.

Speaking to Lovin Malta, a police spokesperson did not confirm the charges, simply saying that “the Malta Police Force investigates all allegations of criminal nature that come to its attention”.

Muscat was called in by police after everyone from Equality Minister Owen Bonnici to Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli called on police to investigate the cleric’s online comments.

Since his comments were made public, a Maltese fashion designer has co-opted his offensive words into a new designer line, with proceeds going towards queer NGOs on the island.