A homeless mobile phone thief has been jailed for 16 months.

Inspector Robert Vella told magistrate Doreen Clarke how Abdulnasir Mohammed Abdulahi, 28, from Somalia allegedly distracted the owner of a restaurant in Hamrun and stole his mobile phone.

Abdulahi was charged with aggravated theft and recidivism.

The court was told that the man has no address and had been sleeping rough for months. “I sleep outside,” Abdulahi told the court when asked for his address. He is unemployed.

The man addressed the court, saying he stole the mobile phone to buy food. His lawyer, Raisa Colombo told the court that the man was pleading guilty.

The court sentenced him to 16 months imprisonment.