A horse-drawn cab driver was conditionally discharged for a year yesterday after being convicted of abandoning his horse at the Valletta Waterfront.

Paulseph Pirotta, 21, of Qormi, was also found guilty of failing to provide the animal with water or shelter between November 24 and 25 last year.

In submissions on punishment, defence lawyer Robert Abela said the horse had only been left at the Waterfront for 45 minutes because his client received a phone call from his mother, who told him that another horse of theirs was stamping his hooves, and he went to see what happened.

This showed how much he loved animals.

But Police Inspector Kylie Borg insisted that Mr Pirotta only returned to his horse after the police phoned him, pointing out that he had not even left any drinking water for the animal.

Magistrate Anthony Vella conditionally discharged him for one year.