The Court of Appeal has confirmed a suspended sentence handed down to a man found guilty of trafficking women for prostitution purposes, as well as living off the earnings of prostitution.

Eugenio Agius, 47, from St Paul’s Bay, was jailed for two years suspended for four and was fined Lm50 after he was found guilty of trafficking two women for prostitution purposes between May and June 2004. He was also found guilty of turning his guesthouse in Marsascala into a brothel.

Handing down his judgement, Mr Justice David Scicluna, presiding over the Court of Criminal Appeal, said that the court does not see why it should alter the punishment as requested by the Attorney General, especially when the Court of Magistrates, in its original judgement, remained within the parameters set out by the law. He therefore rejected the appeal and confirmed the appealed judgement.

Dr Franco Debono appeared for the accused.