A man who violently robbed an elderly shopkeeper to fund his acute drug problem was jailed six years by a court which observed that such crimes could not be “tolerated in a civilised society”.
Kevin Cacciattolo, 46, had been offered various opportunities - even while his case was being heard in court - to seek rehabilitation, but he had proved untrustworthy and never appeared to commit himself to kick his drug habit, Magistrate Ian Farrugia noted when handing down judgment on Wednesday.
Any attempt to rehabilitate himself was doubtlessly too weak and that was why the court could not show leniency when sentencing the accused.
The case stemmed from an incident which took place almost five years ago.
On August 2, 2018 at around 6.45am, the accused drove to Msida, parking his Toyota Vitz and then heading to a tobacconist store along the seafront.
His intention was “clear and unequivocal”, said the court, adding that the accused wanted “money at all costs” to fuel his acute drug addiction.
He barged into the shop, holding the 72-year-old shopkeeper against his will, pointing a knife at his waist and demanding cash.
But the victim firmly stood his ground.
The elderly man grabbed a chrome rod with a hooked end and waved it at the aggressor, knocking the knife out of his hand.
A scuffle ensued as victim and aggressor grabbed the rod, ending up in a tussle on the pavement outside the shop.
The accused menacingly told the other man to let go, warning that he [the aggressor] would hurt him unless he did so.
When the rod snapped in two, the aggressor did not give up.
He struck out the victim with his end of the rod while the elderly man tried to ward off the blows, crying out for help.
In an attempt to silence those cries, the aggressor dealt one final blow to the victim’s head.
The man, blood gushing out of the wound, collapsed onto a chair outside the shop, shocked and dazed by the blow.
As he did so, the robber rushed inside, grabbed the cash register, banged it on the floor, then picked up his knife and money from the cash drawer, running off with some €500.
The court concluded that the prosecution had proved its case against Cacciattolo who was also charged as a relapser over the violent theft, wherein he caused his elderly victim physical pain and mental suffering amd unlawfully held him against his will.
He was also charged with carrying a knife while committing a crime against the person and without the necessary police licence.
This was a violent attack against an elderly person who was going about his business, observed the court.
“Such crimes must not be tolerated in a civilised society and when they happen, society expects to be protected against the criminals who commit them,” said the court, declaring the accused guilty and condemning him to a six-year effective jail term.
Inspectors Lara Butters and Clayton Camilleri prosecuted.