A knife-wielding man who entered a Birkirkara shop on Saturday evening and made off with a bottle of wine and an energy drink was sentenced to imprisonment for one year suspended for three years on Monday.

The incident took place at around 7:15pm when Kiro Trajkovski, a 37-year Macedonian entered a Convenience Shop.

CCTV footage clearly showed him carrying a knife and committing the hold-up.

He was arrested on Sunday and arraigned on Monday, pleading guilty to theft, exercising a pretended right in respect of the victim, carrying a knife without a police licence, uttering insults and threats as well as wilfully disturbing the public peace.

When making submissions on punishment his lawyer highlighted his early guilty plea and the fact that all that the accused stole were a “bottle of Lachryma Vitis and one Red Bull.”

The man, a former cleaner but currently unemployed, had fully cooperated after being arrested and expressed remorse for what he had done.

“It was a simple theft, aggravated by the use of a knife,” argued the lawyer.

Magistrate Leonard Caruana, condemned the accused to a one-year jail term suspended for three years.

“Thank you, your Honour,” said the man, as the hearing came to an end.

Inspectors Clayton Camilleri and Andrew Agius prosecuted.

Lawyer Martin Fenech was legal aid counsel.