Two men were charged with usury and threatening an 18-year-old man and his mother today. 

Simon Anthony Robert Tartaglia, 33 from the UK and Timothy Dennis Bonello, 18 from St Paul's Bay pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Joe Mifsud to the charges brought against him.

Prosecuting officer Maurice Curmi told the court that the two accused had lent the victim €200, which went up to €450 within the space of a month.

They subsequently phoned up the man's mother and threatened to kill her son if the debt went unpaid. They also found out the woman's address and marched to her residence and threatened to break down the door.

Legal aid lawyyer Noel Bartolo entered a request for bail.

Mr Bonello was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €2,000. Since Mr Tartaglia claimed he had lost his passport and therefore did not present it to the court, bail was denied and he was remanded in custody.

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