Not guilty of beheading peacock

A Gozitan man was yesterday cleared of killing his neighbours' peacock and setting free two Guinea fowls, together worth around Lm160, and of breaking an aviary that cost around Lm50.

He was also cleared of threatening Teresa Debono, one of the neighbours in June last year.

The court heard how the police received a report from Charles and Teresa Debono that Raymond Camilleri, who lived opposite them in Nadur, had threatened them and told them that the peacock was annoying him.

In the report, Debono claimed he had heard some noises on the roof and when he went to see what was going on, he found out that the peacock's head had been chopped off.

The police had testified that when they went on site, they realised it was rather impossible for the accused to reach the complainant's roof but had accused Camilleri following the report made by the Debonos.

Although Charles Debono testified he saw the accused running away with a knife in his hands, jumping from roof to roof, while "the headless peacock was jumping up and down", Camilleri denied going on the Debono's house roof. He argued it was impossible for him to climb up there as it was three storeys high.

The court said the accused was more consistent in his version than the Debonos and acquitted him of all charges.