Just three days before Christmas, Patrick Spiteri will finally be released from custody.

The former lawyer is at the heart of a complex court saga before the local courts, charged with misappropriation and fraud running into some €7.4 million.

This last step, which effectively means that the disbarred lawyer will most likely be out of jail by Christmas Day, was attained earlier today by means of a decree delivered by Magistrate Audrey Demicoli presiding over one of the cases against him, currently scattered before four different magistrates.

Following the granting of bail by Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, confirmed by Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi on appeal by the Attorney General, bail had also been granted by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera last Wednesday, the same day that Madam Justice Edwina Grima confirmed a similar decree handed down earlier by Magistrate Josette Demicoli.

Today, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli provided the former lawyer, who has been held behind bars ever since his extradition from the UK in May, with the key to release from custody.

This final decree imposed a deposit of €15,000, a personal guarantee of €25,000 and a curfew between 8pm and 8am besides an obligation to sign the bail book on a daily basis.

Dr Spiteri, a victim of Behcet’s syndrome, as certified by medical documents, has allegedly been experiencing a worsening of conditions throughout his stay at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi had declared that in view of Dr Spiteri’s medical condition, his situation was to be “assessed attentively so that he might be held in an environment which would minimize the negative effects of his illness”.

Summing up the situation after today’s decree and in view of the earlier decrees delivered by the other Magistrates’ Courts, Patrick Spiteri will have to deposit a total of €33,000, whilst making good his release with a personal guarantee of €80,000 and a further pledge of €20,000.

Lawyer Stefano Filletti is defence counsel.