A man who admitted to scratching a police inspector’s personal car earlier this month was handed a suspended sentence by a court on Thursday after settling the damages in full.

Justin Bartolo, 38 of Qormi, was arraigned last week and sentenced on Thursday. He admitted to wilfully damaging the BMW that was parked at Tarxien.

CCTV footage showed Bartolo walking alongside the vehicle, scratching the paintwork down both sides.

He immediately admitted to the criminal act, telling the court that he had “made a mistake.”

Before judgment was read out on Thursday, defence lawyer Edward Gatt informed the court that his client had settled the damage suffered by the inspector which totalled €2092.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, in view of the payment as well as the accused’s early guilty plea, his clean criminal record and the fact that he had apologized and shown remorse, condemned him to a nine-month jail term suspended for one year.

The court also issued a restraining order in favour of the victim.

Inspector Sarah Zerafa prosecuted.

Lawyer Mario Mifsud appeared parte civile.

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