A man who threatened PN MP Karol Aquilina and his brother Robert, president of civil society group Repubblika, was fined and conditionally discharged on Friday.

Sandro Farrugia had written in a Facebook post that the two “deserved a good beating once and for all.”

He was charged under hate speech laws. Farrugia had posted his comment under another post, uploaded by former Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar, in which she had criticised a protest held by Repubblika in front of the police headquarters in July.

The Aquilinas had filed a police report. Appearing before Magistrate Ian Farrugia on Friday, Farrugia apologised for the comment and showed remorse.

He was conditionally discharged and was also fined €400.