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Suspended Sentence For Maltese Man Who Beat Horse’s Genitals Before Day Race In Gozo

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A local man has been given a suspended sentence and fined €5,000 after being found guilty of abusing a horse, injuring three men and raising animals in inadequate circumstances.

The guilty party, 28-year-old Dylan Micallef, was accused of whipping his horse in its genitals in public in Triq Fortunato Mizzi, Rabat, Gozo, ahead of a horse race on 9th July, 2018. The race was set for 11.20am.

Court, presided over by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, heard how Micallef used a whip to beat his horse as two others, the horse jockey and his son, held it, TVM reported.

Due to the beating, the horse jumped free and bolted towards a crowd of people, injuring three of them.

One of the nearby men was left with a permanent disability.

When the horse ran away, the owner also ran away, court heard.

Magistrate Frendo Dimech noted the act was “vile and cruel” and could not be justified. She also noted that the horse jockey and his son had lied in court to protect the horse owner; the jockey said another horse had hit their horse, causing it to be scared. The son said the horse had been accidentally struck with the whip.

The court noted that they testified over a year and a half since the incident, giving them ample time to decide on their version of events.

She also noted that police officers failed to collected CCTV from the area after the event.

After all was considered, Micallef was found guilty of his charges and handed a 20-month prison sentence for three years alongside a €5,000 fine.

Cover photo left: TVM

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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