The appeals court yesterday reduced the collective jail term of two Syrian brothers by eight months, after one pleaded guilty to attempting to escape from the Ta’ Kandja detention centre and the other admitted to helping him.

The court, presided over by Mr Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano, reduced the jail term of 22-year-old Abdul Hamed Tlass and his 27-year-old brother Abdul Majid Tlass who live in Siggiewi.

Abdul Hamed Tlass was jailed for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to attempting to escape from Ta’ Kandja detention centre, while his brother Abdul Majid Tlass was jailed for 20 months after he pleaded guilty to attempting to help his brother escape.

In their appeal, defence lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Kris Busietta referred to the testimony of prosecuting inspector Edel Mary Camilleri, who told the magistrates’ court that there was an agreement to escape but the attempt to escape did not take place.

In handing down his judgement, Mr Chief Justice De Gaetano noted that in this case, according to the law, the minimum jail term was nine months and a maximum jail term was two years.

As a result, Mr Chief Justice De Gaetano reduced the jail term of Abdul Hamed Tlass from 18 months to 14 months, and his brother’s jail term from 20 months to 16 months.