A young man today was released on bail after he was accused of driving a stolen car and handling stolen goods.

The 19-year-old from Paola was accused of driving a Ford Escort which did not belong to him and without the permission of its owner in Tarxien, at around 2.30am yesterday. He was also charged with handling stolen goods and with failing to inform the police when the vehicle, which had been lost or stolen, ended up in his possession.

The youth was further accused of operating a car without insurance cover and driving in a reckless manner.

His lawyer, Leontine Calleja, requested a ban on the publication of the name of the accused due to his age and the fact that he was currently seeking employment. The prosecution did not object, noting that there were ongoing investigations which could be prejudiced by the publication of the name of the accused. The court upheld the request for the ban for the latter reason.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested bail. The defence also asked the court to impose a provisional supervision order on the accused.

After considering the matter for some time, Magistrate Josette Demicoli released the accused on bail against a €5,000 personal guarantee, ordering him to observe a curfew. The court explained in no uncertain terms the consequences of him breaching his bail conditions after the accused asked whether the curfew would come into effect immediately, as he had plans for tonight.

The court also placed the man under the supervision of a probation officer to help him stay on the straight and narrow.