Man faces trial accused of harassing Jehovah's Witnesses
A 66-year-old Gloucester man is to stand trial in July for alleged religious harassment of two Jehovah's Witnesses.
Angelo Famiglietti is to face court, accused of religiously aggravating Jehovah's witnesses
Angelo Famiglietti, of Bloomfield Terrace, Gloucester is accused of religiously aggravated behaviour and using threatening words and behaviour towards the Jehovah's Witnesses because of their faith on May 3 and May 9.
He denies both charges.
Prosecuting Jane Cooper told Cheltenham Magistrates Court that one charge alleges he stood near to a Jehovah's Witness stand on the Cross in Gloucester City Centre on May 3 holding up a newspaper with the headline “Paedophile Jehovah's Witnesses”.
One charge claims he stood on a cross in Gloucester City Centre holding up an offensive article
The charge relating to May 9 alleges that he drove a silver Saab “aggressively” near to some Jehovah's Witnesses in the street in which he lives and was shouting “Take your pills or die!”
Mr Famigilietti’s defence counsel said that “We deny the use of the car, factually” and added that the defence to the charges would also cite freedom of speech.
Angelo denies both charges and will return to court in July 2017
After he entered his not guilty pleas the magistrates set the case down for trial on July 20, 2017.