The Court of Criminal Appeal has reduced the sentences of a man and a woman who were originally convicted for having purchased a stolen iPad.

The offence took place in 2012, when Francois Ellul, 28, and Rowena Garcia, 26, purchased the stolen electronic device worth €800, and were later sentenced to five months in prison. 

Police used the device's inbuilt GPS system to locate the couple, who were found outside the Msida Detox Centre.

The pair told police officers that they had purchased the item from Renaldo Rotin.

Rotin, who was later sentenced following his admission of theft, told the court that he was planning on selling the iPad to Ellul for €100.

He also said that Ellul and Garcia knew the device was stolen.

The defence argued that the punishment was excessive.

Lawyer Marc Sant, who was representing Ellul, argued that the sentence was excessive; while Lawyer David Gatt, who appeared for Garcia said that she was merely a passenger in the car.

The Court of Criminal Appeal, presided by judge Antonio Mizzi, found that the guilty verdict in the original sentence was sound, but believed that a  custodial sentence would be counter productive.

Garcia's sentence was reduced to a 6 month conditional discharge.

Ellul's 5 month prison sentence was reduced to 3 months.