The director of prison has been awarded Lm500 libel damages over the publication of a letter in It-Torca in June, 2000.

Mr Justice Geoffrey Valenzia in the Civil Court ruled in favour of Emanuel Cassar, who filed his suit in his personal capacity and as prison director, against editor Alfred Briffa over a letter published in It-Torca on June 18, 2000, under the heading Mill-Ghassa jikteb Pisi in which he was described as "tal-gakketta blu".

Cassar said he kept aloof from politics because he was a public officer and "tal-gakketta blu" were linked to the Nationalist Party. Its members had also been arraigned in court on criminal charges.

The director said that as a police officer, he could not form part of any group with political or sporting associations, and he had not joined any such entity.

The court found that Cassar's writ was well-founded and that, by alleging that Cassar was a member of "tal-gakketta blu", the letter was libellous.

Dr Tonio Azzopardi was counsel to Cassar.

Dr Joseph Micallef Stafrace was counsel to Briffa.