A man who argued in court that he had only photocopied €50 notes for his children to play Monopoly is to be sent to jail, although an appeals court has slightly reduced his term.

Jonathan Farrugia, 31, was arraigned after a search by the Drugs Squad at a Birzebbugia garage had yielded suspected cannabis seeds. Officers then searched his home and found 14 photocopied bank notes in a jacket tucked away inside a wardrobe.

The accused had told the police he had photocopied a genuine €50 note, using a printer which had since broken down, producing some 16 copies for his children to use at playing Monopoly.

The first court had convicted Mr Farrugia of possessing and knowingly making use of fake currency, as well as recidivism. He was handed an 18-month jail term.

During appeal proceedings, Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera said that it was evident that the falsification had taken place, as admitted by the appellant.

However, his excuse linking the act to the board game played by his children, did not hold water since the fake notes had been hidden away inside a jacket pocket hanging in a wardrobe, in spite of having been produced some three years earlier.

There were no children’s games in the vicinity and besides, other denominations would have been needed for Monopoly, the court noted, further remarking that buying the actual board game would probably have come cheaper.

In the light of all evidence, the Court confirmed the conviction but partly upheld the appeal reducing the prison term to 14 months, whilst also acquitting the appellant of recidivism.

Lawyer David Gatt was defence counsel.