Claire Farrugia, aged 24, from Marsascala, was convicted yesterday after a court ruled that she was responsible for the death of Leonard Magro, a 19-year-old man who died after Farrugia had administered a fatal injection of heroin.

At around 11.30am on 29 December, 2002, Farrugia injected Mr Magro with a dose of heroin, bought with money he had given her, that proved to be lethal. The accused herself had said Mr Magro started turning blue around 10 minutes after she had injected the drug into his vein. He then lapsed into unconsciousness.

She said she had tried to help him by throwing water over him, putting ice on parts of his body and even jumping on his chest. It was hours before she called his cousin for help. The two eventually drove to the Paola health centre, but panicked and left the man for dead in the square.

Presiding magistrate Miriam Hayman sentenced Farrugia to four years in prison, saying the help she said she had given Mr Magro in his last few minutes of life was actually no help at all.

The court said Farrugia was given a lesser sentence than was due because she had named the person from whom she had bought the drugs and she had cooperated fully with the police.

Inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.