Man jailed after string of convictions

A 19-year-old man was jailed for eight months today after being convicted of stealing diesel from Fort Block Ltd in July 2004.

The man who cannot be named because he was a minor at the time he committed the crime, had eight previous convictions for theft, breach of bail and committing a crime within the operative period of a suspended sentence.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera had taken into consideration the fact that he was just 15-years-old at the time of the theft but added that he had continued to ignore courts orders. Although now 19 years old, he had not recognised the various chances to reform and wanted to remain on the road of criminality. He was subsequently jailed for eight months.

In another case, a man from Vittoriosa was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to stealing car stereos from five cars on Sunday night.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg told the court that Christopher Scerri, 27, had allegedly stolen from cars that were parked in Cospicua and Żabbar.

Magistrate Micheal Mallia heard Mr Scerri also deny causing damage to other parked cars in Cospicua.

The court before remanding the accused in custody took into consideration that Mr Scerri had been on drugs for the past 14 to 15 years.