Two teenagers who helped themselves to oranges from a small private garden in Pembroke were sentenced to two years imprisonment after they unsuccessfully tried to break into the residence.

Their lawyer appealed the sentence and the appeal is being decided this afternoon.

Sameh Yousef Hassan, 18 from Palestine and Iman Abalez Mohammed, 18 from Egypt, admitted to the charges of attempted aggravated theft and causing damage to private property amounting to around €25.

It is understood that the accused were picking oranges from a private garden when they spotted a temporary wooden door leading to the adjacent residence. They grabbed a wooden staff in the vicinity and attempted to break open the door. However, their attempts were unsuccessful because the door was reinforced by a strong steel barricade from the inside.

Upon hearing the noise, two of the residents - who were indoors at the time - reported the incident to the police, who arrested the accused a short while later.

Prosecuting officer Elton Taliana told Magistrate Monica Vella that the accused were apprehended a few metres away from the residence by patrolling police.

Their original intention was to pick some oranges and the idea to break into the residence only occurred to them on site, he continued. The accused had no tools on their person and utilised materials found in their surroundings.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop appealed for a suspended sentence in view of the fact that the accused collaborated with the police and were first time offenders.

The court said that the crime failed to be carried out due to external circumstances out of their control and sentenced them to two years imprisonment.