Two years jail for man who tried to steal from a lawyer's office

A 38-year-old Valletta man was jailed for two years after attempting to steal from a lawyer’s office.

Rittmar Hatherly was arraigned on August 31 and charged with attempted theft as well as breaching two sets of bail conditions imposed on him. He was also charged with recidivism.

During his arraignment, it emerged that the alarm at the office went off, and the owner had spotted the accused on CCTV footage. The police went on-site and caught Hatherly red-handed.

The defence then requested a pre-sentencing report.

In its considerations on punishment, the court observed that it is not bound by the recommendations made by the parties on punishment.

It held that it needs to ensure that the punishment suggested is within the parameters of the law but also reflects the seriousness of the case and the circumstances of the accused, and at the same time strike a balance between the different interests involved, including the man’s rehabilitation.

The court observed that the man pleaded guilty to breaching his bail conditions, but the relative decrees had not been presented in court, and it could not order the confiscation of the money deposited when he was granted bail.

Instead, it held that it would order his re-arrest in the two separate cases.

When deciding on punishment, the court also upheld the conclusions and recommendations put forward by the probation officer, that in Hatherly’s case, an effective prison term would be suitable so that he would be able to complete a drug rehabilitation programme during the time he serves the sentence.

The court jailed the man for two years, from which the months spent under preventive custody are to be deducted.

A two-year treatment order was imposed on the man so that he could overcome his drug addiction.

A two-year restraining order was issued in favour of the victims.

The court ordered the man’s re-arrest in the two separate cases he is facing before the court.

Magistrate Kevan Azzopardi presided.