Motorbike thief jailed

A 21-year-old woman was yesterday jailed for 18 months for stealing a motorcycle during the operative time of a suspended jail term.

Alberta Amato, of Gzira, pleaded guilty to stealing the motorcycle, driving it without a licence and driving recklessly on June 5, 2006.

She was, however, cleared of making use of forged documents after Magistrate Giovanni Grixti ruled that when she attached cardboard registration plates onto the motorcycle she was not committing a forgery.

The magistrate noted that Ms Amato had committed the crime after she had been given an 18-month jail term suspended for three years in another court case.

The magistrate ordered that the 18-month jail term would come into effect, fined her Lm1,500 and banned her from driving for a year.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.