A 31-year-old was yesterday given a suspended jail term after pleading guilty to knowingly submitting a false claim to a television programme.

Etienne Bezzina from Birkirkara pleaded guilty to submitting a false nomination claim to television programme Tista Tkun Int in 2003.

He also pleaded guilty to defrauding the producers of the programme out of an undisclosed sum of money and relapsing in view of previous convictions.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani, said that the case was a serious one as it would have repercussions on public confidence in the programme.

However, she also noted the accused’s early guilty plea. She jailed him for three years suspended for four and put him under supervision for three years. Police Inspector Joseph Cordina prosecuted while Dr Jose Herrera and Dr Veronique Dalli appeared for the defence.