A man with an apparent penchant for stealing charity boxes, was granted bail a third time after pleading not guilty to petty theft on Thursday.

Mario Farrugia, 49 of Sta Venera, was charged with stealing two donation boxes within the space of three days last month.

The first box, taken from a Qormi store, contained less than €230 in cash, destined for Puttinu Cares. The second box, taken from another Qormi shop, belonged to Inspire Foundation and again involved a petty amount.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to both thefts as well as to having allegedly breached two previous bail decrees delivered earlier this year, whereby he risked forfeiting some €39,000 in bail bonds.

He was also charged with being a recidivist.

A request for bail was objected to by prosecuting inspector Alfredo Mangion who cited the risk of tampering with evidence.

However, defence lawyer Ishmael Psaila countered that the presumption of innocence applied even when the charges related to breach of bail, insisting that the prosecution’s perceived risk “was to be supported by evidence.”

Magistrate Monica Vella upheld the request for bail against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €7000, and an order to sign the bail book once a week.

 

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