A man has been conditionally discharged and fined €800 after he was found guilty of animal cruelty.

In 2011, animal groomer Mario Aquilina, then 48 years old, was accused of cruelty to animals he kept in small, rusty, dirty cages. He was also accused of threatening an animal welfare officer.

The court found him guilty and taking into consideration that he had apologised to the officer, gave him a conditional discharge for a year and a €800 fine. This was not the first time Mr Aquilina was accused of animal cruelty.

In 2010, his pet shop in Ħamrun was described as “a concentration camp”. The shop, called High Society Canine Beautician, had little ventilation and rusted cages which, in some cases, were only slightly larger than the animals they housed, the inspector testified in April of 2010.

Mr Aquilina was eventually acquitted in 2011, but while the case was still pending, he faced fresh animal cruelty charges and was also accused of threatening a police officer who was inspecting the shop.

Police inspector Ramon Mercieca prosecuted.