A 27-year-old man has been jailed for two years for breaking into and stealing from two shops last July.

Annise Bejaoui from Dingli, who already has previous convictions for theft, had been arraigned before Magistrate Neville Camilleri in July and charged with breaking into two Birkirkara shops during the night of the July 12.

The accused had initially been charged with aggravated theft, several counts of voluntary damage, breaching two sets of previous bail conditions and relapsing. However, the prosecution later withdrew several charges as the case was being heard – including their request for the confiscation of his bail bond.

The accused had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but when these were modified earlier this month, Mr Bejaoui filed an admission to aggravated theft and voluntary damage on that same day.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, after taking the accused's cooperation with the police into account, jailed Mr Bejaoui for two years.

Police inspectors John Spiteri and Luke Bonello prosecuted.