Jailed for jewelery hold-up

A Valletta man was yesterday jailed for 18 months for carrying out a hold-up at a St Paul's Bay jewelery last year.

Ivan Galea, 28, admitted to stealing jewelery from Solid Gold Jewelery, holding Marion Borg and Daniela Vella against their will and using violence to compel them to do his bidding on December 19, 2002.

He also admitted to the possession of a shotgun at the time of the commission of the crime and keeping and carrying it without a licence, stealing Marian Gingell Littlejohn's car on December 15, 2002, stealing a set of number plates on December 13, 2002 and relapsing.

On handing down judgment Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted that Galea had 19 convictions over the past 12 years.

She also noted that Galea had a drug abuse problem and that he would not be eligible for a rehabilitation programme if jailed for over two years.

For this reason she jailed him for 18 months and ordered that the 10 months he spent in preventive custody are not deducted from the jail term.

She recommended prison authorities to allow him to attend a rehabilitation programme.