Vanessa Mifsud was originally charged with theft, wilful damage, possession of cocaine, relapsing and breaching a previous court sentence. The first court heard her plead guilty to these charges and she was given a two-year jail term, suspended for four years, a Lm200 fine and a supervision order for four years.

However, the Attorney General appealed against the decision on the basis that the defendant was given a reduction in her sentence after the court had applied an article of the Criminal Code.

In his appeal, the Attorney General said the article could not be applied when the defendant is in breach of a probation order.

Mr Justice David Scicluna, who presided over the Appeal Court, said the law in this regard was clear and unequivocal. He also mentioned that in September 2001 Mifsud was found guilty of stealing Lm5,600 from Ballut Blocks Ltd and was conditionally discharged for two years.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Scicluna said Mifsud had been given several chances to get her life back in order but to no avail. As a result, he changed the original sentence to 16 months and one week in jail, from which the time she has spent in preventive custody is to be deducted.