
A man has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison after his two pit bulls fatally mauled his 95-year-old grandmother.
Andre Galea was found guilty of gross negligence and abandonment for failing to prevent the attack, which also claimed the life of his grandmother’s pet chihuahua.
The court heard how Ines Maria Galea suffered severe injuries before dying in her home in Msida in September 2020. The dogs, named Bullet and Chica, were later euthanised.
Galea had been breeding dogs while living with his grandmother but moved out, leaving the pit bulls in her care. The court found that he was fully aware of their aggressive tendencies and had put his grandmother at risk for years.
Magistrate Donatella Frendo ruled that the attack was entirely foreseeable, stating Galea had invited tragedy by allowing the dogs to roam freely near the elderly woman. She described him as a man who lives recklessly, ignoring the safety of others.
Alongside the 20-month prison sentence, Galea was fined €2,224. The magistrate also criticised Malta’s two-year maximum penalty for involuntary homicide, questioning whether society values human life so little.
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Photo Source: Times of Malta