A 42-year-old man has admitted spraying graffiti on Floriana's Portes des Bombes, monument claiming it was a love message to his partner.

Ionut Cezar Marin was fined €6,000 and handed a two-year jail term, suspended for four years when he appeared in court on Monday.

The Romanian national, who lives in Msida, admitted wilful damage to the iconic monument dating back to the 1600s protected as a cultural property in terms of the Cultural Heritage Act. 

His graffiti, which spelled out the phrase 'I love you Dali' was meant as a love message to his partner.

Ionut Cezar Marin leaving court on Monday. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

He was facing a possible maximum fine of €250, 000, not less than €2,000 and imprisonment not exceeding six years.

The pizza maker was arraigned in front of Magistrate Lara Lanfranco a week after damaging the iconic Floriana monument.

The monument was found vandalised in the early hours of the morning.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Godwin Cini, lawyer for the Attorney General, said the grafitti was a "a deliberate vandal act and punishment should send out a message to all.

He argued for a fine of not less than €12,000 and a minimum suspended sentence, considering the restoration could never bring the building fully back to its original state.

However defence lawyer Roberto Spiteri highlighted the accused's untainted record and said the suspended sentence would serve as sufficient deterrent. Punishing him further by imposing a fine would be a step too much, he argued.

There was a "romantic" element behind this vandal act. 

"He wanted to send out a love message to his partner," he said.

After hearing submissions the court handed down a suspended sentence and a €6,000 fine payable in monthly instalments. 

The man was also to reimburse immediately to the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage the sum of €790 representing the damages caused. 

Inspectors Christina Delia and Daryl Borg and Kurt Farrugia representing the Superintendence also prosecuted.

Floriana councillor James Aaron Ellul said last week that calls for a camera that was removed from the rear of the gate had been ignored.