A hapless 22-year-old Ecuadorian ended up in court after presenting the police with a false document in a bid to obtain a police conduct certificate and start working.

The court heard how Joselyn Katherine Sanchez Roman had an Italian residence permit and had been living in Italy since she was 13. However, she was born in Ecuador and had not yet been granted Italian citizenship. The document she gave the police listed her as an Italian national.

Lawyer Stefano Filletti told the court that the accused's decision to present a false identity card showed there was no malice in her actions, adding that it was more "a question of stupidity".

"The Italian job market is what it is and the accused came to Malta to seek a job with her (Italian) partner. She had every opportunity to work in the black market but she eschewed this in favour of a legitimate job to pay taxes".

Magistrate Anthony Vella heard how on the day she was arrested, the accused was offered a job at a casino and was asked to present her police conduct certificate. Since only EU citizens can legally work in Malta without a work permit, she altered the document to state that she was an Italian national and presented it to the police.

"The problem has now compounded itself. This was a rash decision - the desperate act of a person who just wants to work to earn a living."

Prosecuting officer Darren Buhagiar concurred with Dr Filletti, adding that the situation was symptomatic of the many Italian residence permit holders who were travelling to Malta in search of a job due to the dire labour situation in Italy.

The accused did not cooperate immediately, he told the court, adding that she later shouldered the responsibility and admitted that she had held two jobs before voluntarily leaving them due to the fact that she did not possess a work permit.

Her police conduct was clean, Insp. Bugagiar continued, advising against a custodial sentence but in favour of her being returned to Italy.

"If she stays, we will tell the Italian authorities to revoke her residence permit and then she'd get a removal order to Ecuador instead of to Italy," Insp. Buhagiar warned.

The magistrate noted that the case was different than to that of those who entered the island with false documents.

Dr Filletti argued that if she were a young, Maltese national, the prosecution would consider handing down a conditional discharge since any other judgement would tarnish her clean record and prejudice her.

"She changed the details for a very genuine reason - not to obtain a licence or some privilege - but to obtain a police conduct certificate. The irony is that we now have the certificate before us but it is about to be tarnished," he said, as the accused bowed her head and sobbed.

Echoing the accused's partner's words, Dr Filletti said that it was already very hard to find a job - a tarnished certificate would make it impossible.

Magistrate Vella discharged her from punishment on condition that she does not commit an offence within three years.