Police accuse restaurateur of injuring pet shop owner

A long-standing argument between a restaurateur and his noisy dog-breeding neighbour ended up in court yesterday after the men came to blows.

Robert Zammit, 43, of Bir-kirkara pleaded not guilty to threatening pet shop owner Kevin Tanti and slightly injuring him in the fight on Thursday at 10 a.m. in Naxxar.

Police Inspector Bernard Spiteri told Magistrate Gabriella Vella that it had all started when Mr Zammit complained about the noisy dogs Mr Tanti was breeding. In fact, Mr Zammit has sued Mr Tanti about the matter, the officer said.

On Thursday, another man who also complained about the dogs spoke to Mr Tanti who, in turn, commented about Mr Zammit. That person informed Mr Zammit on what Mr Tanti said and, in a fit of rage, the accused went to the pet shop and attacked Mr Tanti. He pushed him to the floor and began punching him, the officer said.

In pleas on bail, lawyer Chris Cardona said his client was a restaurateur who employed 23 people and had a clean police record. He was not the type of person to breach bail conditions, especially given that the charges were not that serious and, under normal circumstances, he would have been arraigned through a summons. Having said that, he also understood that the police decided to arraign his client under arrest in order to shock him.

Magistrate Vella granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000.

Lawyer Joseph Arrigo also appeared for Mr Zammit.