A man told a magistrate yesterday that he preferred spending time in jail than paying a Lm200 fine.

John Bugeja made this somewhat unusual request before magistrate Lawrence Quintano. Originally, Bugeja, 37, of Qormi, was found guilty of heroin possession.

Later, in another case, he was found guilty of committing another crime during the operative period of a suspended jail term and was fined Lm200.

The court had given him the option of paying the fine in 20 installments of Lm10 a month. But Bugeja did not pay the fine and yesterday appeared before the magistrate to explain why he had not paid.

Bugeja told magistrate Quintano that he did not have a job and preferred to spend time in jail than trying to find the means to pay the fine.

“I cannot pay it and I will never afford it. If you’re saying I can spend time in jail instead, then I will do that,” he told the magistrate.

Magistrate Quintano replied that this was a rather unusual request and added: “We did all we could to avoid giving you a prison term but this is the thanks we get. If you want to go there, then go.”

Bugeja, who is already in jail over another case, was ordered to spend an extra 40 days in jail instead of paying the fine.

Police inspector Nezren Grixti prosecuted.