A young lady with an apparent penchant for stealing petty cash was granted bail pending a pre-sentencing report after admitting to a series of thefts.

Amber-Ann Zammit, a 23-year old from Ħamrun, currently unemployed, was arrested and taken to court on Wednesday after incriminating CCTV footage placed investigators on her heels as the suspect behind a series of thefts from the University library compartments over the past months.

On six separate occasions, five in November and another just last week, the young lady, who is not a student, visited the University library and made off with small amounts of cash from personal belongings placed inside the compartments.

She then reportedly used the money to acquire designer products.

The young lady was accused of three charges of theft aggravated by time, three other charges of simple theft as well as with breaching the terms of a three-year conditional discharge handed down in 2016.

After a brief consultation with her lawyer, Franco Debono, the woman registered an admission while Dr Debono suggested a pre-sentencing report which could possibly shed light upon any problems which lay at the root of her problem.

The court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, upheld this request, as well as another for bail which was not objected to by the prosecution.

“I’d rather she learnt a lesson, than insist on her going to jail,” said prosecuting Inspector Colin Sheldon, whilst insisting that the accused was not to approach University.

Another request for a ban on the woman’s name was rejected by the court, with the magistrate declaring that there were no valid reasons at law for the ban.

Bail was granted against a deposit of €200, a personal guarantee of €1,000 and an order to sign the bail book three times a week.

Lawyer Marion Camilleri was also defence counsel.