A man and his wife were yesterday found guilty of fraud, the former being given a suspended jail term, with the latter being put on probation.

John Paul Agius, 28, and his wife Rita, 24, were found guilty of stealing and using a chequebook to defraud others out of a total of Lm2,520. They were also found guilty of knowingly making use of a stolen chequebook. John Paul Agius alone was found guilty of stealing the chequebook.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, said that the accused should not be given the same sentence as he had already been found guilty of theft and falsification while Rita Agius was a first-time offender.

The court noted that most of the items bought fraudulently were given back. However, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera ordered that the amount of Lm148 be paid back to the injured parties within two months. The court gave John Paul Agius a two-year sentence suspended for four years while Rita Agius was put on probation for three years.

Police Inspector Angelo Gafa prosecuted.