Pace and the other man were prepared for the hold-up because they had procured firearms, boiler suits, balaclavas and gloves. At around midday on 13 February 1999, the men parked the car and got out. Armed and with their faces covered, the men took a run to open the door of the bank.

The glass of the door broke and Pace and the other man found themselves face to face with Joseph Massa, the police officer on duty. Pace stopped Mr Massa and took his weapon and ammunition.

The two men also told all those in the bank at the time to keep still. While this was going on, Pace’s balaclava came off and the two men fired two shots.

Pace forced a bank employee to give him all the money available. She handed him around Lm6,000 and they ran out of the bank with the stolen money into the car they had stolen the day before.

Pace admitted his crimes at a late stage in the proceedings and therefore his admission had no affect on the judgement passed. The man was found guilty of stealing a car that was later used to carry out a hold-up, of robbing the Qormi branch of Lombard Bank, of using a firearm in an inhabited area, damaging property and of relapsing in view of previous convictions.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Gino Camilleri sentenced Pace to three years in prison for the crimes he committed. The judge ordered the time Pace spent in preventative custody to be reduced from his jail term. The man was also ordered to pay Lm1,589 in court expenses.