A Kalkara man was yesterday given a one-year jail term suspended for four years and fined Lm300 for firing a gun in Senglea two weeks ago.

Alfred Caruana, 32, pleaded guilty to firing the shotgun in an inhabited area, specifically Two Gates Street, uttering obscene language and threatening and insulting members of the Casha family, specifically Renald Casha, on June 8 at about 5 a.m.

He also pleaded guilty to the illicit possession of a shotgun and ammunition and breaching the peace.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard how Caruana fired the gun twice in the air outside Casha's house after meeting him earlier at a Paceville bar with his estranged wife.

She noted that Caruana had filed a guilty plea at an early stage of the proceedings and had cooperated with police. The lives and property of the Casha family had not been put at risk and no damage was caused.

She did remark, however, that although no one was hurt, the use of an unlicensed shotgun was a very serious offence especially when it was fired in an inhabited area.

Police Inspectors David Saliba and Alfred Mallia prosecuted.

Dr Jason Azzopardi appeared for Caruana.