A man who mugged a popular singer and her friend in Paceville two years ago has had his three-year jail term reduced on appeal since the prosecution failed to prove the value of the items in one of the victims' handbags.

Tripoli-born Munir Mohamed Ali Gammudi, 37, was convicted in July 2019 of the aggravated theft which had taken place in February 2018 when singer Mikaela Attard and her friend Monica Agius were assaulted and robbed.

The man was originally accused of attempted murder but that charge was subsequently withdrawn by the prosecution.

In his appeal, Mr Gammudi pleaded “psychological disturbance” and argued that the punishment was excessive.

The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided over by Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, whilst confirming that the theft had been aggravated by violence, concluded that the prosecution had not proved the value of the items in the singer’s handbag.

Mikaela Attard had told police that the bag, snatched from her by the aggressor while a penknife was held to her throat,  had contained an IPhone 8 worth €1,000, another phone worth €500, a pair of DolceGabbana specs costing some €500, cash, personal cards and her car keys.

The bag was returned to her when the fleeing aggressor was blocked by two bouncers from a nearby establishment. When police arrived she was not asked to open her bag so that the items could be verified and photographed, the court observed.

The court also said it had noted some inconsistencies in the women’s testimonies and could not rely on suppositions.

Whilst confirming the conviction of theft aggravated by violence, the court reduced the punishment from three years to 18 months, less the period Gammudi had spent under preventive custody.

The court also ordered a copy of the judgment to be forwarded to the Commissioner for Mental Healthcare as well as the Director of Prisons for measures to safeguard the appellant’s health.

Lawyer Marc Sant assisted the appellant.