A man was given a three-month suspended jail term for distributing flyers on the University campus insulting columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia shortly before the last general election.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli found Lawrence Galea, 63, of Żabbar guilty of distributing the flyers, featuring Ms Caruana Galizia’s face and offensive words in her regard, in February 2008.

The case was first brought to the attention of the police by a woman who noticed Mr Galea driving around the University ring road and throwing the flyers out of his car. She filed a police report on February 29, including Mr Galea’s car registration number. She later recognised him as the person who was releasing the flyers from his car.

That same day, Ms Caruana Galizia filed a formal complaint to the police explaining that a friend of her son had spotted the flyers and collected some of them.

During questioning, Mr Galea denied spreading the flyers around the University campus. The police then informed him that technical experts had found the content of the flyers in his home computer’s deleted content section. On hearing this, Mr Galea fainted and had to be taken to hospital.

Magistrate Demicoli found there was sufficient evidence to find Mr Galea guilty of the charge. She gave him a three-month jail term suspended for 12 months.

Police Inspectors Anthony Portelli and Carlo Ellul prosecuted. Dr Anglu Farrugia was defence counsel.

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