She said that she then engaged the help of two men to go and rob him because she suspected that he hoarded money in his washing machine.

In fact, on 6 July 2002, she had asked him for some money and he gave her Lm2. A few minutes after she left, the two men knocked on the elderly man’s door and they pushed him back into the house.

One man held a dagger to his neck and after the victim gave them Lm25, the other began to ransack the place while looking for money.

However, the elderly man managed to escape their clutches and ran out into the street to call for help.

The two men then escaped.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro said Grima and Taliana had a long criminal record and it was about time that they paid off their debts to society after having been given several opportunities to reform.

“One cannot keep committing crimes and getting off easily, especially with crimes against the elderly.

“We must also remember that this elderly man used to help this woman and give her money,” said Magistrate Lofaro.

She said that an unhappy childhood was no excuse to live a life of crime and not be punished. Police inspectors Angelo Caruana and Frans Micallef prosecuted.