A man who welcomed home his asylum-seeking wife after she landed in Malta in a clandestine manner has been given a suspended sentence. 

The 26-year-old Syrian national had been living in Malta as an asylum seeker when he fell foul of the law. 

In September, his wife was among a boatload of migrants who landed at Delimara, prosecuting Inspector Karl Roberts explained in court. 

Subsequently, the man accompanied his wife to apply for asylum. 

That was when she explained how she had reached Malta. 

The man, who had been living on the island for four years, was arrested. 

On Wednesday afternoon, the man, whose name was banned from publication in view of ongoing investigations related to third parties, was charged with aiding his wife to enter Malta illegally. 

The man admitted the solitary charge, confirming his plea after being given time to reconsider. 

The prosecution did not insist on an effective term of imprisonment. 

In light of that admission, the court, presided over by magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, condemned him to a one-year jail term suspended for two years warning him of the consequences if he were to breach that sentence. 

The court took note of the circumstances of the case, the accused's early guilty plea and the fact that he cooperated. 

Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.