A 16-year-old young man today was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for four years after pleading guilty to carrying out thefts from no less than thirteen hotel rooms.
The man, who cannot be named by order of the court, was accused of forming part of a gang which stole thousands of euro in cash and electronics from hotel rooms in the St Paul’s Bay area.
Lawyer Abigal Bugeja, appearing for the accused, told the court that the young man had simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time. She told Magistrate Antonio Vella that her client had gone through a rough period and was led astray by bad company. She accused the prosecution of “seeking their pound of flesh.”
The court, however, noted that the amount stolen was considerable. The amount exceeded €8,000. Inspector Kurt Zahra, prosecuting, said the offence had been repeated 13 times. The accused, he said, had had thirteen opportunities to reconsider his actions. He argued that the thefts had been well planned and executed.
The Inspector told the court that the police have not yet managed to identify all the victims of the thefts as many of them had returned to their home countries. The Magistrate chastised the inspector for this fact, noting that the incidents had done “irreparable harm” to Malta’s image abroad.
The inspector told Magistrate Vella that much of the loot had been shared amongst several individuals. A laptop had been found in the accused’s bedroom. A mobile phone had been sold.
The youth pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for four, with the Magistrate telling him that no matter his age, these things are not done.