Man who fell down shaft admits attempted burglary

Twenty-five-year-old Garie Charles has been sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for a year, after admitting to trying to burgle his neighbour's apartment on Sunday.

While trying to climb through the bathroom window, the Englishman fell down a two-storey shaft when he saw his Bulgarian neighbour standing in the doorway. Luckily, he escaped with only cuts and bruises and managed to flee before the police arrived.

However, when the police went to his apartment they found the front door open but couldn't find Mr Charles and purposely closed the door, with its key still in its internal lock.

Later that evening they went back and found Mr Charles trying to open his front door. However, when he noticed the police he told them he had lost his keys and couldn't enter.

He was immediately arrested and questioned.

Mr Charles was arraigned in front of Magistrate Antonio Mizzi by Senior Inspector Paul Bond from the Qawra Police Station.