Maximilian Ciantar jailed for threatening probation officer on Facebook

A notorious criminal has been jailed for 30 days for insulting his probation officer on Facebook.

Maximilian Ciantar was accused of insulting and threatening his probation officer, harassing her, misuse of electronic communications equipment and breaching the terms of a suspended sentence.

Ciantar first rose to notoriety after he was convicted of running over two 11-year-old girls on a zebra crossing in Attard in 2010. Since then, Ciantar has been jailed several times for a number of offences.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo heard how Ciantar’s probation officer had gone to the police having discovered a number of threatening posts made by the accused on Facebook in 2016, after she had informed the police that he was not adhering to her guidance. The court heard how the woman, who was not Facebook friends with Ciantar, had been told about the posts by friends, who sent her screenshots. She printed these out and went straight to the Hamrun police station to file a report.

The court observed that the words used by the accused were indeed offensive, but lacked a threatening component. The comments were not criticism, but had a “strong insulting element.” These were directed at a public officer during the execution of her duties, noted the court.

Although he may have been angry at the woman for reporting him, this did not give him the right to go on Facebook to write obscene insults, said the magistrate.

He was cleared of harassment and misuse of electronic communications equipment but found guilty of insulting the woman. The court ruled that this did not constitute a breach of his suspended sentence.

Magistrate Farrugia Frendo condemned Ciantar to imprisonment for 30 days and a fine of €1,500. A protection order was issued in favour of the Probation Officer, valid for five years.