Blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia today was ordered to pay €3,000 in compensation to former journalist Julia Farrugia after being found guilty of libel.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquele said that statements repeatedly made by Ms Caruana Galizia and reader comments on her blog included insinuations which did not constitute fair comment.

The court said Ms Caruana Galizia had made several insinuations against Ms Farrugia, describing her as a 'cow' and a 'bitch' while also insinuating that she was a prostitute who removed her clothes in public.

Mrs Caruana Galizia also stated that Ms Farrugia is the daughter of Karmenu Farrugia, who had been indicated by a court witness as the person responsible for the assassination of Raymond Caruana, when Ms Farrugia was still young. 

The court did not accept the defence's arguments that the blogger was not responsible for comments submitted by readers, given that she had the facility to remove comments but were still not removed until the case was filed.

Writing on this same portal, Daphne Caruana Galizia said she is appealing the judgement.