An appeals court on Wednesday ruled that a priest who wrote on social media that being gay is worse than being possessed by the devil is guilty of hate speech.

Fr David Muscat was found guilty of hate speech for comments on Facebook about Abner Aquilina, who is charged with the murder of Polish girl Paulina Dembska.

Judge Edwina Grima overturned Muscat’s original acquittal and upheld an appeal filed by prosecutors. Fr Muscat was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Muscat was charged with incitement to hatred or violence over comments about homosexuality. The priest had written on Facebook that Aquilina was gay, bisexual or possessed by the devil and that “gayness” was worse than being possessed. 

A magistrate’s court had found Muscat not guilty, ruling the priest was merely “expressing an opinion”.

The Attorney General appealed that decision..

Lawyer Etienne Savona represented the Attorney General's office. Lawyers Mariah Mula and Christopher Attard were defence counsel.