A man who sexually molested two tourists in a hotel lift while on holiday in Malta is to be deported to Libya.

Shallouf Ahmed Mahamoud, 32, a Libyan national, admitted to committing non-consensual sexual acts when he was arraigned before a magistrate on Thursday morning.

The arraignment took place just hours after the incident in a hotel in St Julian's.

Prosecutors said two young British women were in the lift going to a rooftop pool when the stranger, later identified as the accused, reached out and touched one of them inappropriately in various parts of her body before walking out.

The women immediately reported the incident at the hotel reception and asked for CCTV footage. While they were there the man walked through the hotel lobby. One of the women filmed him on her phone and filed a police report. He was arrested shortly after.

On arraignment, Mahamoud admitted to committing non-consensual sexual acts, causing the women to fear violence as well as committing an unwelcome act of intimacy.

During submissions on sentencing, the defence argued that a suspended sentence was "no walk in the park." Once deported, the businessman would be closely scrutinised should he ever try to return to Malta.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years and issued a protection order in favour of the victims, warning Mahamoud not to contact them in any way. 

The court also ordered the accused’s immediate deportation to his country of origin.

AG lawyers Cynthia Tomasuolo and Miriayah Borg together with Inspector Michael Vella prosecuted.

Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud was defence counsel.