Two men were given suspended prison terms yesterday for repeatedly stealing fish which netted them in the region of Lm35,000 while the scam lasted.

Former Azzopardi Fisheries deliveryman Joseph Quattromani, 40, of St Paul’s Bay and Mokhtar Boukadi, a 48-year-old Tunisian, also of St Paul’s Bay, who worked as a manager in various outlets, pleaded guilty to stealing thousands of liri in seafood and fish from their employers.

They were also found guilty of regularly stealing huge amounts of produce and selling it to the company’s competitors at a profit.

The court had earlier heard company director Anthony Azzopardi testify that the company had been making good sales over the past three years, but they always seemed to be making a loss. He had said the accused were treated like family by the owners of the business. Both had worked there for 20 and 16 years respectively.

The police said that an estimate for the stolen produce would be in the region of Lm80,000.

The produce which was sold returned a profit of Lm35,000. The court, presided over by magistrate Anthony Vella, gave the two men two-year jail terms suspended for four years.

Police inspectors Daniel Zammit and Chris Pullicino prosecuted.

Dr Edward Zammit Lewis and Dr Edward Gatt appeared for the accused.