Former ONE TV anchor Karl Stagno Navarra told a court that he considers himself a Labour supporter, not a "troll," while testifying in a hate speech case against lawyer Andrew Borg Cardona.

The case stems from a Facebook post by Borg Cardona asking: "Can we make euthanasia compulsory for Labour trolls?" Stagno Navarra filed a police report over the comment, arguing that it amounted to hate speech because it targeted individuals on the basis of their political beliefs.

Taking the witness stand, Stagno Navarra said Borg Cardona maintains an active social media presence and frequently makes public statements. He attempted to refer to other posts by Borg Cardona during his testimony but was repeatedly stopped by the court, as those comments were not directly related to the case.

Stagno Navarra said the post was published during a national debate on the possible introduction of euthanasia, which was undergoing public consultation. He maintained that the report was not prompted by a single isolated remark but by what he described as a pattern of behaviour, claiming the euthanasia comment was the culmination of a series of posts. The court was told that around 3,000 people reacted negatively to Borg Cardona's statement.

During the sitting, Borg Cardona's lawyer remarked that the witness "liked to hear his own voice."

When asked what he understood by the term "Labour trolls," Stagno Navarra replied that Borg Cardona appeared to label anyone who supports the Labour Party as a troll. Under cross-examination, he was asked whether he considered himself a Labour troll. "I am not a troll but a person who supports the Labour Party," he said.

The case is being heard by Magistrate Gianella Camilleri Busuttil. Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Kris Busietta and Alessandro Farrugia are appearing for Andrew Borg Cardona, while Karl Stagno Navarra is represented by lawyer Rachel Tua. Inspector Roderick Attard is prosecuting.