Blood gave car thief away

A 33-year-old man was yesterday jailed for four years and seven months after a magistrate found him guilty of stealing from six cars and trying to steal from another two during the operative time of a suspended jail term.

Mikiel Angelo Mamo, of Floriana, was charged with stealing hi-fi equipment and other items from six cars, trying to steal from another six cars and stealing from two yachts and a luzzu on November 11, 2003.

On evaluating the evidence, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera noted that on the night Mr Mamo had gone to the hospital's emergency department suffering from a wound in the hand.

Tests showed that blood found in eight cars matched his blood and, in light of other evidence brought forward, she found him guilty of stealing from six cars and trying to steal from another two, as charged.

The magistrate however cleared Mr Mamo of the other charges as the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence.

On handing down judgment the magistrate noted that Mr Mamo had 15 convictions on his criminal record and that he had committed the crime during a 13-month jail term which had been suspended for three years.

Magistrate Scerri Herrera jailed Mr Mamo for three-and-a-half years and ordered that the suspended jail term be brought into effect, bringing the jail term to four years and seven months.

Police Inspectors Stephen Gatt and Carmelo Margi prosecuted.