An unemployed and homeless man was handed a suspended sentence on Monday after admitting to stealing from a church donation box.

Ukrainian national Ihor Cardaci pleaded guilty to stealing €2,329.37 from the Santa Tereża church in Birkirkara, as well as causing damage to the property on August 19.

Assisted by an interpreter, the 31-year-old man admitted to the charges brought against him after magistrate Doreen Clarke explained what he was being accused of.

Prosecuting inspector Ritienne Gauci said that Cardaci had committed aggravated theft of a substantial amount of money, and while the prosecution would not be pushing for the maximum sentence of three years, it wanted to insist on effective jail time.

Representing Cardaci, legal aid lawyer Charmaine Cherret said that he had come to Malta in 2018 but had since lost his job. He had fallen to “unfortunate vices”, she said without elaborating.

While he did in fact steal from the church, the act had weighed heavily on Cardaci, as he went to see the parish priest and admitted to everything the very next day.

He wanted to repay the damage he had caused and cooperated fully with the investigation once the police were involved in the case.

“I sincerely believe he needs help as his circumstances aren’t good,” Cherret said.

“But I do believe that the remorse that he showed for his actions is a step in the right direction.” 

Taking his admission into account, the Magistrate sentenced him to a 16-month jail term suspended for three years