Disbarred lawyer Patrick Spiteri has been granted special permission to travel abroad for work purposes after he received a job offer. 

The 55-year-old former tax lawyer told the court that his reputation had been so badly damaged in Malta that he became unemployable so this job offer from the UK was his only means of making ends meet. 

In a decree handed down on Thursday, Magistrate Josette Demicoli upheld the request but only allowed him to travel for five working days every third week of the month. She ordered him to supply his travel itinerary early to the police before going abroad and had to inform the police of his arrival back on the island. 

The magistrate said the bail conditions, including a €40,000 personal guarantee, were to remain in force, except the requirement to sign the bail book, which he will not be able to do while abroad. 

He was also ordered to deposit €7,000 every time he went abroad. These would be refunded on his return. 

Mr Spiteri had been arrested in Surrey in 2014 and extradited to Malta to face a number of fraud and misappropriation charges totalling some €7.4 million. 

After absconding, he had been extradited back to Malta in 2017 on the strength of seven European Arrest warrants. He had been granted bail but ordered not to leave his home. 

In previous court sitting, Magistrate Demicoli heard several witnesses, including partners in local firms, Maltese businessmen and his own family members say that they would not employ Mr Spiteri due to the negative impact this would have on their business’ reputation.

Mr Spiteri had recently found employment with a UK-based company, but the court was told that this would require him to travel “every so often”. 

Lawyer, Stefano Filletti appeared for Mr Spiteri.