Ghaxaq man given second chance

An Ghaxaq man was given a second chance yesterday when a magistrate finding him guilty of theft opted to extend the operative term of a previous suspended jail term instead of ordering its execution.

Mario Enriquez, 35, pleaded guilty to robbing Antonia Muscat in Floriana three years ago and committing the crime during the four-year operative term of a two-year suspended sentence.

He was charged with holding Antonia Muscat against her will and stealing her handbag containing more than Lm100 worth of items, including cash, on February 13, 1999, at about 12.45 p.m.

Enriquez however pleaded not guilty to carrying a weapon or imitation at the time of the commission of the crime but was found guilty after Magistrate Abigail Lofaro ruled it had been adequately proven.

Magistrate Lofaro heard how PC Mario Caruana and PC Mario Deguara, who were on duty in Floriana, saw a man carrying a handbag run across the road and soon after they heard a woman shout "catch him."

The two constables ran after the man who slipped when he arrived near traffic lights. The man, whom they identified as Enriquez, was then arrested and a plastic gun was found in his possession.

Magistrate Lofaro also heard probation officer Marianne Zammit explain that Enriquez was emotionally unstable and had psychological problems.

The probation officer recommended that he be given help and another opportunity.

On handing down judgment, the magistrate noted that Enriquez had cooperated with police, filed a guilty plea at an early stage of the proceedings and that the handbag was returned to its owner.

She ruled that a jail term was not appropriate and that giving Enriquez one last chance to change his ways would be beneficial to both him and society.

Dr Joseph Giglio appeared for Enriquez.