A self-confessed drug addict, who had steered away from the habit for the past eleven years but recently suffered a relapse, was condemned to an effective jail term today after pleading guilty to a number of thefts over a period of one month.
Frank Abdilla, 35, from Valletta, unemployed, was arrested and charged after police were called in to investigate a series of thefts from four locations in Valletta between February 27 and March 28.
The court heard how on February 27, scooters and other items was stolen from a toy shop at a shopping complex. n the early hours of March 6, tools were reportedly stolen from a flat in Mikiel Anton Vassalli, Street. Later that same day, an amount of cash was taken from a bar in Old Theatre Street, the court was told.
In the early hours of March 6, tools were stolen from a flat in Mikiel Anton Vassalli, Street. Later that same day, cash was taken from a bar in Old Theatre Street.
On March 28 tools were stolen from a shop in Republic Street. The four thefts involved a total value of around €7,000, the prosecution explained.
The four thefts involved a total value of around €7,000, the prosecution explained.
The police viewed CCTV footage which led to the identification of Mr Abdilla as the prime suspect. Although it took investigators quite a while to trace the accused, given his lack of a fixed residence, Mr Abdilla was finally found.
The prosecution pointed out that Mr Demicoli had admitted his wrongdoing and had cooperated fully with the police.
The defence informed the court that Mr Demicoli had completed two rehabilitation programmes and had tested clean of drugs for the last 11 years, but had unfortunately suffered a relapse lately.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, observed that it would be in the best interests of the accused to be given an effective jail term so as to make sure that he would undergo rehabilitation once again.
For this reason and bearing in mind the nature of the offences committed, the court declared the man guilty and imposed a three-year effective jail term.
Inspector Daryl Borg prosecuted.
Lawyer Benjamin Valenzia was legal aid.