A Libyan refugee today was jailed for 18 months after he was found guilty of causing grievous injuries to a Maltese man. The case dates back to last August in Paola when the accused, 31-year-old Rawad Briga Abdelsalam, mugged and robbed the victim, stealing his mobile phone and threatened to kill him.

The accused, who is already faced with a number of pending accusations, was arraigned charged with slashing a woman’s throat in another mugging incident which occurred in September. The man, who works in a quarry, was charged with attempted homicide and with causing grievous injuries and permanent disfigurement to the victim. He had stolen the woman’s handbag together with a smart phone and some cash.

The man was also previously convicted of another theft which happened in 2014.

Appearing before Magistrate Joe Mifsud, the man also stood accused of relapsing, breaching public peace and of carrying a weapon at the time of the violent offence.

After taking into account the early guilty plea and the assistance in the prosecution, the Magistrate jailed the man for 18 months.

Police inspectors Joseph Mercieca and Hubert Cini led prosecution.