A 20-year old youth, with various past brushes with the law, has once again landed in custody after pleading not guilty to having stolen a neighbour’s tools.

Ibrahim Micallef was arraigned on Thursday after being tracked down by police from the Qawra district station as the prime suspect behind the disappearance of the tools from a St Paul’s Bay residence.

The owner of the missing items and the suspect actually lived in the same street. 

The alleged theft took place at around 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to the aggravated theft, as well as to handling stolen property, having a knuckleduster in his possession and also to simple possession of cannabis. 

The youth, a relapser, was further charged with having allegedly committed the said offences during the operative term of a suspended sentence and also while under probation, both judgments having been handed down last year. 

In view of the accused’s unruly character and tainted criminal record, prosecuting Inspector Godwin Scerri strongly objected to a request for bail, further pointing out that civilian witnesses were still to testify.

The court, presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, upheld these objections and remanded the man in custody.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Francesca Zarb were defence counsel.

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