A woman yesterday insisted with magistrate Anthony Vella that her son be ordered to complete a drug rehabilitation programme to help him kick the habit rather than sending him to jail.

The woman made her plea before the magistrate after her son had pleaded guilty to a number of charges including theft and breach of a probation order.

Jurgen Xerri, 27, of Marsa and Donna Camilleri, 19, of Sta Lucija pleaded guilty to stealing food products, alcohol and tools from four houses and of causing damage.

Mary Xerri told magistrate Vella that she was not seeing her son making any progress, and added that when he was first incarcerated, he emerged from prison with a drug problem that was worse than when he had entered jail.

He said she would rather have the court order her son to start and successfully conclude a drug rehabilitation programme than spending time in prison again.

After a long discussion on legal arguments, magistrate Vella placed the couple on probation for a period of three years. He also ordered that Mr Xerri completes a drug rehabilitation programme.

Magistrate Vella said: “If the Corradino Correction Facility was a true correctional facility, we would not have to work around all these problems (of people picking up the drug habit in prison)”.

Police inspector Jeffrey Azzopardi prosecuted.

Dr Franco Debono appeared for the accused.