A court heard evidence today in a case instituted by the police against a man who stands accused of animal cruelty after a video showed him severely whipping a horse.

Elton Saliba is pleading not guilty to the charges. The case took place in May 2014.

Animal Welfare Department officers Roberto Barbo and Dennis Sciberras told the court that they had seen the video where the horse was shown being hit by the accused while it was in a stable. The horse reacted in order to avoid the blows.

The court had previously heard police Inspector Nicholas Vella testify that the accused had told the police that he had acted that way in order to protect a colleague’s two-year-old daughter, who was in the stable. He had feared that the horse may injure her.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Angie Muscat are appearing for the accused.

 

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