The three men held by the police in connection with the theft of animals from the Park of Friendship (Razzett tal-Hbiberija) in Marsascala on the night of 30 September were charged in court yesterday evening.

Louis Ronayne, 24 from Kirkop, Salvino Ronayne, 20 from Marsascala, and Kevin Portelli, 30 from Fgura, all construction workers, pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing from the park, handling stolen property, cruelty to animals and damaging the park.

Louis Ronayne alone was also accused of committing a crime punishable by a jail sentence in the operative term of two suspended jail sentences. Salvino Ronayne was accused of breaching a conditional discharge.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Miriam Hayman, heard how the burglary was featured prominently in the media and how the animals stolen were used for therapy purposes.

The three were denied bail and remanded in custody until the main prosecution witnesses testify in court.

A total of 13 animals, with an estimated value of Lm1,300, were stolen from the park.

These were four mountain goats, one of them a baby, three barn owls, two golden pheasants, one Amazon parrot, a baby deer and a monkey. The baby mountain goat is the only animal that has not been found.

Informed sources said they believed that this young animal, which was being bottle-fed, could have died because it did not receive the proper nursing attention it needed. However, the police did not say whether the carcass of the missing animal had been found.

An adult deer was found dead the morning after the burglary was committed inside an enclosure with signs of violence to its head and stomach.

Police Inspector Chris Pullicino prosecuted while Dr Veronique Dalli assisted Louis Ronayne and Kevin Portelli. Dr Malcolm Mifsud and Dr Cedric Mifsud assisted Salvino Ronayne.

Dr Alex Perici Calascione appeared as parte civile.