A 54-year-old man yesterday pleaded guilty to fabricating false statements about a magistrate and retracted his claims, which he admitted were false.

The court, presided over by magistrate Lawrence Quintano, heard Tarcisio Camilleri, from Zebbug, retract the claims he made at the Zebbug PN club that he approached Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera in order to influence her at the benefit of a third person.

The man was jailed for eight months suspended for two years.

Magistrate Quintano, in handing down his judgement said that he could not ignore the damage Camilleri brought to Magistrate Scerri Herrera as well as to the courts’ institution.

Inspector Daniel Zammit prosecuted. Dr Andy Ellul and Dr Vincent Micallef assisted the accused.