A former Animal Welfare Department employee was yesterday charged with threatening Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes outside his office.

Eugene Galea, 54, from Lija, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, which included harassing Mr Galdes and driving dangerously.

He also denied making false allegations against Police Inspector Ramon Mercieca and against Joe Vella, from the Animal Welfare Department, misusing a computer and fabricating evidence.

The allegations are about claims that animals in quarantine were being culled unnecessarily by department officials.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000.

When Mr Galdes arrived at his office in Santa Venera together with aides at 1.30pm on Wednesday, a man tried to block the way as the official car was parking. Mr Galdes got out and spoke to the man.

They went to his office where the situation flared up again and the police were called in.

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