Former judge Ray Pace was yesterday granted bail after claims made in court that he used to demand free meals at a restaurant partly owned by a man charged with drug trafficking.

These free meals were in fact a bone of contention between the joint owners of the restaurant. In phone calls recorded by police, the two were heard arguing that they were there to make money and not to give away food.

In a phone call played in court yesterday, Sandro Psaila, charged with bribing the judge, is heard exchanging expletives with Paul Galea, the chef and joint owner of The Steak House in Buġibba.

Mr Galea told Mr Psaila – who is currently facing charges of drug trafficking in separate proceedings – that he was fed up with the judge turning up and refusing to pay.

Mr Psaila replied that it was the chef who was to blame because he had invited the judge for a drink after he had presided over a court case involving Mr Galea’s father.

At that point Mr Galea shifted the blame back on to his partner, saying it was Mr Psaila who had received a favour from the judge.

The evidence was heard during the compilation of evidence in a case in which Dr Pace is pleading not guilty to accepting a bribe, trading in influence and money laundering.

Taking the witness stand, Mr Galea said he had only been at the restaurant for five months when he met the judge after Dr Pace had been to the cinema in July.

He invited him for a drink and introduced him to Mr Psaila.

After that the judge turned up at the restaurant on six occasions.

Taking the witness stand, Police Superintendent Norbert Ciappara gave a rundown of the investigation.

He said the other man charged with bribing the judge, Raymond Caruana, at first denied his involvement to the police but then admitted to being his friend.

Mr Caruana had also admitted that Darren Desira, a convicted drug trafficker jailed for 18 years last month, owed him €100,000 and he wanted the judge to exert influence to have that term increased.

The officer stopped short of saying what the judge said in his police statement.

Testifying, CCTV installer Darren Scicluna said he had mounted two camera systems at the former judge’s properties: a garage in Sta Venera and his home in Attard.

He said he had been contacted by Mr Caruana to do the work, which amounted to €1,300. He recalled seeing the judge at the properties and the work was paid for by Mr Caruana.

In pleas on bail, defence lawyer Stefano Filletti said that all the sensitive witnesses had been heard.

“Absconding is not an issue. For the last 30 years his home, as a lawyer and judge, has always been here,” Dr Filletti said.

He also argued that once the assets of the judge had been frozen he could not afford to make a deposit and requested that he only be ordered to make a personal guarantee.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri granted bail against a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €20,000. He ordered him to sign the bail book twice a week at the Birkirkara police station and placed him under a curfew, barring him from leaving his home between 8pm and 6am.

The next sitting is on January 7.