A man who falsified a customs document to facilitate the transfer of a speedboat that had been hit by a freezing order has been placed on probation for a year and ordered to carry out 100 hours of community work.

Peter Lee Sammut, 20, admitted to falsifying the documents in an attempt to sell the speedboat to a Libyan man who was ready to pay €18,000 to buy it.

The court heard how Mr Sammut knew that the boat could not be sold or transferred because of the freezing order but had decided to forge the documents showing the vessel was his because he did not want to lose the sale.

Mr Sammut pleaded guilty to the charges, that included falsifying official documents for profit and taking a false oath before a notary.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja placed him on probation for a year and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of community work.