A 55-year-old man has been sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of burglary.   

Alexander Cardona was found guilty of stealing some €50,000 worth of precious jewels and an old map when he broke into a house in Iklin on November 25, 2010. 

He was also charged with damaging property during the break-in. 

Judgement was delivered on Wednesday by Magistrate Simone Grech who found him guilty of aggravated theft and voluntary damage. 

Cardona, himself also from Iklin, had denied the theft as well as slightly injuring Nadia Cilia after breaking into her family home. 

Cilia had been sleeping at the time of the break-in but was awoken by the sound of the back door being forced open.  She told the court that she had seen Cardona taking jewellery on the house’s CCTV camera system.  

He was caught on camera taking jewels and other valuables from bedroom drawers.  

Fearing for her safety, she fled the scene. However, Cardona was arrested soon afterwards and was identified by Cilia in a police lineup. 

Meanwhile, Cardona still stands accused of attempted robbery from another house two years later.  

Cardona had also been accused of trying to break into another nearby residence in Iklin on April 5, 2012. However the prosecution failed to present enough evidence and he was acquitted, despite an eyewitness saying they had locked him out as he tried to enter.    

The accused was represented by lawyer Edward Gatt.