Man jailed for stealing handbag

A Libyan man was been jailed for two years for holding a Russian woman against her will and stealing her handbag in Paceville last year.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman noted that Mohammed Elbozidi had committed the crime during the operative time of a suspended two-year jail term.

She ordered that the suspended jail term be put into effect bringing the total to four years imprisonment.

Elbozidi, 28, was found guilty of holding Olesya Tokareva against her will and stealing her handbag on March 1, 2003, at about 1.30 a.m.

He was also found guilty of keeping and carrying a pen knife without a licence and at the time of the commission of the crime, committing a crime during the operative time of several suspended jail terms, breaching the conditions of a previous release and relapsing.

Magistrate Hayman heard Tokareva explain that on the day of the incident she was walking home from Paceville when Elbozidi shouted out to her to stop. She stopped, thinking it might be someone she knew, but Elbozidi walked up to her and grabbed her by her wrist. She put her other hand on his in an attempt to break loose but he produced a penknife from his pocket. She let go of his hand and he ran off with her handbag.

Magistrate Hayman ordered that the time Elbozidi spent in preventive custody be deducted from his jail term.

Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Robert Gregory prosecuted.