A man who had been facing a possible punishment of life imprisonment after admitting to his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy got off with a five-and-a-half-year jail term and a €10,000 fine.

Thomas James Appleby was arrested in June last year, alongside another man, after police found some 2.1 kilograms of cannabis in his car. 

After his arrest, Appleby confessed to a further 2kg of cannabis which he had imported on an earlier occasion. 

Following his early guilty plea, the accused was due to face trial by jury for his involvement in an association to import, sell or deal in cannabis, with the prosecution calling for a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Yet, before the trial kicked off, when the jury had not yet been empanelled, the Attorney General and the accused’s lawyers filed a joint application on July 14, 2020 whereby, following a plea bargaining exercise, both sides agreed upon a punishment of five-and-a-half years and a €10,000.

The Criminal Court, presided over by Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, upheld that application after taking note of the accused’s early guilty plea and “pristine” conduct sheet. 

When delivering judgment, the court also observed that the scientific expert appointed to analyse the drug, had estimated its total value as ranging between €20,000 and €56,000. 

Besides the prison term and fine, the court also ordered the confiscation of all assets of the accused, as well as the destruction of the drugs. 

The court also ordered him to pay €1,371 in court expert expenses.

Lawyer Elaine Mercieca from the AG’s office prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.