Man jailed for stealing elderly woman's handbag

A man who had been handed down a two-year prison term suspended for four years has been jailed for four years after the Court of Criminal Appeal overturned the original judgment.

Joseph Vella admitted to snatching and grabbing a handbag from an elderly woman in Rabat on January 3 and seriously injuring her when she was dragged while holding on to her handbag.

The Magistrates' Court subsequently handed down a two-year prison term suspended for four years.

The Attorney General's Office appealed the decision saying that the first court could have never handed down such a judgment because it was below the minimum punishment allowed by law when one was found guilty of such a crime.

After taking into consideration the seriousness of the crime, the court, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano, subsequently jailed Mr Vella for four years.