A man who swindled his 90-year old victim out of some €3,000 by pretending to be a priest helping people in need admitted his wrongdoing, saying that he only did it to get debtors off his back. 

Dillon Kenneth Junior Bartolo, a 28-year-old Cospicua resident, confessed upon his arraignment on Wednesday that he had resorted to the ruse after running into debts on account of his drug addiction.

To make matters worse, he was currently unemployed because he had suffered a workplace injury that affected the use of one hand, the court was told. 

A local parish priest had originally flagged the matter to the police after some persons voiced suspicion about the elderly man, who was often being observed going about in the company of a younger man.

The two would even visit a bank ATM together.

When police spoke to the 90-year-old man, who on Wednesday was present for the arraignment, he had told them that a young man, claiming to be “Dun Ġwakkin,” had asked him for money for charity. 

The elderly victim had complied and the two would sometimes go to the local ATM to withdraw money. 

That was where police eventually moved in to arrest the suspect fraudster, prosecuting inspector Clayton Camilleri said in court. 

The man was charged with fraud, making fraudulent gains, harassing his victim, insulting and threatening him as well as misusing electronic communication equipment. 

The hearing was temporarily suspended while the accused consulted his lawyer, Marouska Debono, before pleading to the charges. 

After some time he decided to plead guilty, confirming his admission even after being granted time to reconsider and seek further legal advice. 

When making submissions on punishment, Inspector Camilleri said that the accused had admitted under interrogation that he had made up the story to cancel his debts with third parties.

He also admitted that he had a drug problem, said the officer. “The statement speaks for itself.”

The defence lawyer confirmed that debtors had been chasing the accused, threatening to knock at his family’s door and he had only taken the money over the past two or three months, although he had known his victim long before that.

He was sorry for his actions and never meant to hurt the old man, said the lawyer, suggesting a treatment order or a recommendation for drug rehabilitation by the court.

After hearing submissions, the court, presided over by magistrate Rachel Montebello, put off the case for judgment, which is expected on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the accused was remanded in custody.