A youth who admitted to a spate of thefts sparked by his drug dependency has been placed under probation whilst pursuing rehabilitation from substance abuse.

Dylan Spiteri, 28, sought help by joining a drug rehabilitation programme shortly after facing charges linking him to a series of thefts over a two-month period in 2019.

The thefts included a Paola shoe store in September, followed by a series of thefts from a Zabbar fuel station over a three-week span between September and October.

In the early hours of the morning on October 6, Spiteri also made off with small change from two other service stations at Zejtun and Ghaxaq.

He was also charged with four separate instances of wilful damage to third party property.

The young man filed an early guilty plea.

Upon a request by his lawyers, the court ordered a pre-sentencing report.

A probation officer who was tasked with drawing up the report, suggested that it would be best for Spiteri to live within a controlled and therapeutic environment. To make sure that he completed rehabilitation, the officer suggested a probation order for a maximum term.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, observed that Spiteri's conduct did not appear to be unruly.

His criminal record presented one conviction back in 2010 for which he had been conditionally discharged.

Moreover, he had filed an early guilty plea and had cooperated with investigators. The victims of the thefts had forgiven him and were not seeking compensation.

In light of such considerations and also in view of the fact that the accused had strong family support, the court deemed it prudent to follow the suggestions in the pre-sentencing report in the hope that the accused would understand that a criminal lifestyle leads to nowhere except greater trouble.

The three-year probation order is to serve as an opportunity for the youth to mend his ways and to stick to the right path, said the court.

Inspector Eman Hayman prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.