Former police constable Jean Pierre Abdilla was sentenced to 16 years in prison and a e40,000 fine after the jury reached a guilty verdict on all eight charges yesterday afternoon.

After a deliberation process which lasted more than five hours, the jury found Abdilla guilty with seven votes to two on the three charges, which were related to his conspiring to traffic a kilogramme of heroin while holding a position of trust as a police constable.

Earlier in the week, Assistant Police Commissioner Neil Harrison explained how he had been approached by an informant, another former police officer, who told him that Abdilla had approached him, asking whether he knew of anyone wanting to purchase a kilogramme of heroin.

The informant decided to go to Mr Harrison and the decision was taken to go ahead, making it seem like the informant really intended to find a buyer. Keeping the police informed at every step, the informant told them Abdilla had said the sellers wanted the money, before handing over the drugs.

At this point, the police decided to stop the operation in the interest of the informants’ safety, and arrested Abdilla.

On the charge of attempts to bribe an immigration officer, Abdilla was found guilty with seven votes to two. The jury also noted that this had not been a repeated offence. On the four charges related to illegal possession of protected species, the jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict.

In the post-verdict submissions, the defence pointed out that the court had never actually been presented with the kilogramme of heroin that was talked about. It also pointed out that Abdilla had a clean criminal record.

They also asked Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono to take into consideration the fact that Abdilla was a father of two, and contrary to what the chief witness had done, he had opted to resign once the investigations into the case had started.

The prosecution, on the other hand, said it was also worth considering that if the deal had been finalised, it would have been worth some e60,000.

It also pointed out that many witnesses who had families they cared about, had said they were intimidated by Abdilla’s behaviour. The defence pointed out that Abdilla had had nothing to do with this.

Finally, it said, he had given the police force in general a bad name, and the public would have to regain their trust in the corps.

Lawyer Nadine Sant, from the Attorney General’s office prosecuted and the accused was represented by lawyers Anglu Farrugia and Edward Gatt.