A Balzan man was jailed for two years after he was found guilty of stealing a mobile phone, two cheque-books and defrauding a number of persons and Bank of Valletta plc.

Jacques Bonett, 38, was charged with stealing a mobile phone and two cheque-books from Mdina Road in Balzan on 26 January 2005, to the detriment of Anthony Lia.

He was further charged with defrauding and forging documents and signatures to the detriment of Mr Lia, a number of other persons and the bank of a value exceeding Lm100 but less than Lm1,000 between 27 January and 3 February 2005.

Additionally, Bonett was charged with damaging Mr Lia’s car, a Subaru Forester on 26 January 2005, but he was not found guilty of possessing or purchasing stolen goods with the intention of selling them.

Bonett had purchased a number of mobile phone top-up vouchers from different shops and lotto offices. He paid for all of them by cheques that belonged to Mr Lia.

In one of the statements he gave to the police, Bonett admitted to buying the top-up cards and paying for them by cheque, but he denied having stolen Mr Lia’s cheque books and mobile.

In a separate statement, he confirmed that after he was released by the police, he had again been to some other shops, bought the cards with cheques belonging to Mr Lia and had gone to sell them.

He also confirmed with the police that the cheque-books by means of which he was buying the cards were found at his house, but he denied having stolen them himself. Rather, he said, he had found them at a bus stop.

Magistrate Giovanni Grixti presided over the court.

Police inspectors Victor Aquilina and Kevin J. Farrugia prosecuted.