Japanese national Okamura Satoshi was on Thursday sentenced to two years’ effective imprisonment and fined €15,000 after a court revoked a previous decision and reinstated his sentence over multiple offences committed in August 2023.
Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi found Satoshi guilty of several charges under the Animal Welfare Act, including killing animals and causing unnecessary pain, suffering and distress. He was also convicted of causing slight injuries to two police constables and assaulting officers in the early hours of 1st August.
In its judgment, the court rejected defence arguments that the accused had not admitted to specific legal provisions because these were not expressly drafted into the charge sheet. The magistrate ruled that the charges were clearly stated and that the law does not require the specific articles to be read out when the nature of the offence is clear.
Satoshi had also argued that he did not know the individuals involved were police officers. However, the court noted that he had entered a guilty plea without reservation and found that he was fully aware of the nature and consequences of his admission.
In determining the punishment, the court considered the gravity of the offences, the accused’s criminal record, his early guilty plea and the need to protect society. The magistrate stated that effective imprisonment was unavoidable and that the penalty should reflect the seriousness of the case.
The court ordered that time already spent under arrest be deducted from the sentence. In addition to the prison term and fine, Satoshi was banned from keeping animals or residing in premises where animals are kept for 40 years.
A protection order was issued in favour of the injured police officers. The court also imposed an 18-month treatment order, with a supervising officer required to report on his progress every six months.
Inspector Eliot Magri prosecuted. Defence lawyers Adreana Zammit and Marion Camilleri represented the accused.
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