Reduced jail term for prison warder

An appeal court yesterday marginally reduced the jail term of a prison guard who was found guilty of heroin trafficking from 15 months to 10 months.

The guard had filed an appeal to reduce his jail term after he was found guilty in April 2008 of cannabis trafficking in prison. He was also found guilty of heroin possession.

The court jailed him for 15 months and fined him €1,400.

In his appeal, the prison guard said the first court was influenced by his role in prison, which included keeping drugs out of the building.

He also claimed that the courts did not factor in his guilty plea, his drug addiction problem and his cooperation with the authorities in various drug-related raids.

Mr Justice David Scicluna, sitting in the Court of Criminal Appeal, said there was no doubt that the first court factored in the positive factors.

However, he pointed out that the prison guard could not expect any benefits from his guilty plea because it was filed after the prosecution and defence presented their evidence.

He also noted that the prison guard did provide vital information to the police on two separate drug-related cases - something that was factored in by the first court.

However, he reduced the sentence by five months.

Dr Roberto Montalto appeared for the prison guard.