A Serbian man will be deported after trying to steal items from a Mellieha supermarket, ostensibly to feed himself and his pregnant girlfriend.

Mellieha resident Alb Aleksandar, 33, was arraigned before magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras this morning, accused of attempted theft. Inspector Godwin Scerri, prosecuting, said the man had been stopped whilst trying to exit the supermarket carrying €267 worth of unpaid items.

The man had told police that he had tried to steal the items because he had no job and no money left, and needed to sustain himself and his girlfriend, who is pregnant.

From the dock this morning, the accused, who has been living in Malta illegally for over two years, pleaded guilty. “He’s not registered in Malta,” explained the inspector with regards to Aleksandar’s immigration status.

The court warned the man that he faced up to three months in prison, with the prosecution adding that he would be deported at the first opportunity. The accused repeated his guilty plea.

The court then heard submissions on punishment. The prosecution did not insist on a jail sentence, pointing out that all the items had been returned and that the man had cooperated with the police.

In view of the man’s guilty plea, the court condemned him to 1 month in prison, which was suspended for a year. The magistrate explained the implications of this to the guilty man, who will be repatriated to Serbia.

Lawyer Martha Mifsud was legal aid to the accused.