A Maltese priest notorious for making off-the-cuff comments, oftentimes offending wide swathes of people, has been acquitted in court after being charged over online hate speech.

Speaking to Lovin Malta, Muscat’s lawyer Mariah Mula, of Mula Advocates, said that “justice prevailed”.

“As the legal team representing Fr David we wholeheartedly believed in his innocence from our first meeting with him,” Mula said.

“Unfortunately, the comment in question was taken completely out of context and many had already incriminated him and unjustly tarnished his reputation. We worked hard in silence. Today’s judgement is our resounding reply.”

Fr David Muscat, who celebrates mass in Mosta, had caused widespread reactions online after he made a number of comments related to the LGBTQI community, even leading to Equality Minister Owen Bonnici and Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli calling on police to investigate the cleric’s online comments.

His comments came after the horrific murder of Paulina Dembska by suspect Abner Aquilina. In one comment, Muscat said Aquilina could be gay, bisexual or possessed by the devil – and that being gay was worse than being possessed.

 

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In another comment, Muscat pointed at one of Aquilina’s shirts, which features rainbow colours, wondering if Aquilina had just returned from “gay pride”.

The public reaction to the comments was swift, with one Maltese fashion designer even co-opting a term he used – gayyaġni – into a new designer line, with proceeds going towards queer NGOs on the island.

In court, Magistrate Ian Farrugia urged the priest to be more careful with his words moving forward.

“You’re basically my age. Let’s be more prudent in what we say,” the magistrate said. “Fr David Muscat today carries some weight. Whether you like it or not, what you say carries weight. People look to you. I don’t want any further cases. What’s done is done. This is for the future.”