Appeals Court violates man's human rights

A man had his human rights violated when an Appeals Court threw out his appeal on a technicality after he was jailed for seven months, the Constitutional court has ruled.

28-year-old Stephen Schembri was jailed for seven months last November after he was found guilty of stealing a car mirror and breaching probation conditions.

Mr Schembri appealed the decision but the Appeals Court ruled that the appeal was invalid as a procedural form was missing.

The Constitutional Court today ruled the accused had appealed within the legal parameters and that it is important that everything was interpreted within the principals of the rule of law.

Presiding, Mr Justice JosephZammit Mckeon declared the decision of the Appeals Court null and placed Mr Schembri in the position he was before the appeal.