A man who tried to leave the country with a fake identity card was condemned to a suspended sentence on Friday. 

The court, presided by Magistrate Nadine Lia, heard how 22-year-old Mohammed Fahed tried to leave Malta for Greece with a fake Austrian ID card. 

Fahed, who is a Syrian national, has Greek residency as well as refugee status in Greece. 

He was stopped at the airport after trying to board a flight with the document and immediately told the police that it had been falsified. 

The defence said that Fahed cooperated with the police and admitted at the first given opportunity. 

Prosecuting Inspector Hubert Gerada also told the court that the prosecution would not be insisting on effective prison time. 

On his own admission, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to a two-year jail term suspended for three years. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit appeared for Fahed.