Magistrate jails man with 'colourful' criminal record

Silvio Buttigieg, 30, from Cospicua was yesterday jailed for two years after he was found guilty of a series of thefts in 2004.

Mr Buttigieg had been arraigned along with Stephen Mifsud, 31, and Pauline Pisani, 18.

His accomplices admitted to the charges brought against them and were scheduled to be sentenced separately.

In one of the thefts the three were accused of, the victim, whose name cannot be published by court order, had testified that he had been the victim of a scam. He was robbed of Lm295 and of his mobile phone when he had sought the services of a prostitute, whom he identified as being Ms Pisani.

Police investigations had shown that when the victim was with the prostitute, she had told him she wanted to use the bathroom.

Realising she had taken his jeans, the man followed her out of the room and saw her handing the trousers over to her partner, Mr Mifsud.

Mr Buttigieg was found guilty of having held a man against his will and of having attacked another with the intent of robbing him.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman noted that the criminal record of the accused was quite "colourful".