Suspended jail term made effective

An appeal court has ordered that a 14-month suspended jail term be put into effect after ruling that the Magistrates' Court could not hand down a suspended jail term to a 20-year-old man found guilty of relapsing.

Joseph Compagno was originally given the 14-month jail term suspended for three years after he pleaded guilty to stealing a van, crashing into several cars and slightly injuring a woman while he was under the influence of alcohol on May 3.

Compagno pleaded guilty to stealing George Baldacchino's Mazda, driving it dangerously and recklessly, without a licence and insurance cover, speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, damaging the van and other cars through negligence, slightly injuring Elizabeth Attard and failing to stop to give his particulars after being involved in a series of traffic accidents.

He also admitted to threatening PS Gino Caruana and PC Edwin Azzopardi, committing a crime during the operative time of a suspended six-month jail term and relapsing.

But the Attorney General appealed claiming that once Compagno had been found guilty of relapsing the Magistrates' Court could not hand down a suspended jail term.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono upheld the appeal and ordered that the suspended jail term be put into effect. He also ordered that the time Compagno spent in preventive custody be deducted from his jail term.

The judge also recommended that Campagno be allowed to attend a drug rehabilitation programme while serving time.