A maid has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of community work after she admitted to stealing a number of jewellery items from residences in Msida and Sliema.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja heard how the woman, who cannot be named by order of the court, stole a gold ring from a residence in Msida on 29 January and a gold bracelet from a Sliema seafront apartment.

She also ‘cleaned out’ another Sliema apartment of several gold items, including a coin, a necklace, a pendent and a wedding ring as well as two silver rings, a gold ring with a precious stone and two diamond pendants.

The woman was caught in the act and reported to the police. Upon interrogation, she broke down in tears and immediately admitted to the thefts.

The Magistrate heard how the woman had separated at a young age and was struggling to raise a young son on her own. Although he appreciated these difficulties, the Magistrate said the crime, a serious one at that, could not go unpunished. The woman, he said, had breached the trust of those who had given her a job.

The court also considered the fact that the woman had admitted to the thefts had a clean criminal record and had returned the ring stolen from the Msida residence.

Warning the woman of the consequences were she to relapse, Magistrate Bugeja ordered her to carry out 300 hours of community work, giving her opportunity to reform. She was also ordered to pay the victims €1,800. Police Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted.