Serial fraudster Annabelle Camilleri Monreal has avoided a three-year effective jail term after the judgment was declared null over a technicality, with a new magistrate opting to give her another chance because of her efforts to change her ways.

Camilleri Monreal had been jailed for three years after a court found her guilty of fraud and misappropriation over a vehicle she had originally rented for three weeks but only returned it after more than six months.

She appealed the judgment, complaining that although she had admitted to the charges after having paid all due to the car rental company, the court had ignored the admission and had not followed the law governing admission and, therefore, was not given time to reconsider her plea.

Mr Justice Aaron Bugeja ruled that although the first court may have given her this time to reconsider her plea, it was not noted in the case file so the court could not simply assume that this had happened.

The appeals court annulled the judgment handed down by Magistrate Monica Vella and sent the case back to the Magistrates Court for the case to be reheard.

When the case started being heard by Magistrate Joseph Mifsud, Camilleri Monreal pleaded guilty to the charges brought against her. After she was given time to reconsider her plea, a request was made for a social inquiry report to detail any progress she had made.

The court heard her probation officer explain how Camilleri Monreal had made ample progress and also had the support of her parents to change her ways.

Magistrate Mifsud quoted case law and legal papers that a probation order was “clearly the most important individualised measure available to a sentencer” as it allowed the court to assess the “prospect of success” of a non-custodial sentence.

Magistrate Mifsud said that after having thought long and hard about the appropriate punishment that should be inflicted, he believed that an effective jail term was not suitable in the circumstances. He placed Camilleri Monreal on probation for three years during which he urged her to address her problems and “return to society as a worthy citizen”.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Camilleri Monreal who became notorious in the past decade when, among others, she tricked people into renting apartments and villas that do not belong to her.

On several occasions, the court heard how Camilleri Monreal had defrauded other people to repay people who she had previously defrauded.

An Appeals Court went so far as saying that she was intent on making money in the quickest possible way, even by tricking people, including her own probation officer.