Noel Frendo, 28, from St Paul’s Bay admitted the charge pressed against him. He was guilty of stealing Lm18,000 and other items from Vibro Blocks, a company in Zebbug, holding Raymond Vassallo against his will and using violence to force him to do something, being in possession of unlicensed firearms, stealing a van from Mosta and other items, damaging property, receiving stolen goods and breaching the terms of a suspended sentence.

The co-accused, Aronne Cassar, never registered an admission and was convicted of the same crimes except that of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm. Cassar was also acquitted of the additional charges of breaching the terms of a probation order and stealing items from Ta’ Xbiex.

In passing judgement, the court noted that neither of the men ever tried to compensate the victims of their crimes.

Raymond Vassallo testified in the proceedings against the two men and explained that two people pointed guns at him and ordered him to kneel down and open the safe, as he arrived at his workplace, Vibro Blocks, at around 6am.

He opened the safe and gave them all the money that amounted to Lm16,000, said Mr Vassallo. The witness said the men were wearing balaclavas and gloves. “One was thin and held a rifle while the other was fatter and was holding a pistol,” he said.

After giving them the money, the thieves tied his arms behind his back and told him not to move as they left the room. He managed to set himself free and switch on the CCTV. He noticed the thieves were still in the building and he called the police.

Jason Abela, who had a hand in the robbery, also took the stand and he said that around two weeks before the hold up took place, the accused and himself discussed the theft. He said they decided he would drive them to the place while Frendo and Cassar would go inside and actually steal the money.

“The two men had a small revolver and a rifle and their faces were covered with a sort of cloth balaclava,” said the witness. He said he saw the watchman and the company owner enter the Zebbug premises and this was when the accused pounced on the owner.

When he picked them up, Abela said they still had the firearms in hand and a bag with money. He said they took him home and did not give him any money.

The court noted the facts given by Mr Vassallo were corroborated by Abela’s

testimony.

Another witness, Abdul Bechir Sayar said Frendo had admitted the theft to him. The accused had told him he had stolen Lm18,000, an amount he split with another two people involved in the robbery.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, noted the hold up was premeditated and the men were armed. The court therefore ruled it would not exercise clemency.

The men were each sentenced to four years in prison for the crimes they committed. Even though one man admitted and the other did not, they were given the same jail term. This is because Cassar, the man who was resolute in denying the crimes did not have a long criminal record. Frendo, on the other hand admitted the crimes, but had more past crimes to his name than his co-accused.

Inspectors Silvio Valletta and Carmelo Magri prosecuted.