Kalkara man jailed for breaking into cars

A man was yesterday jailed for 14 months after he admitted to breaking into two cars and trying to steal from another one to sustain his drug addiction.

Another two men were charged in connection with one of the thefts.

Jonathan Coleiro, 22, of Kalkara, Jesmond Aquilina, 38, and Carmelo Cutajar, 61, both of Cospicua were charged in two separate arraignments before Magistrate Doreen Clarke.

Mr Coleiro and Mr Aquilina were charged with stealing a handbag containing two mobile phones, from a car parked in Cospicua on Sunday while Mr Cutajar was charged with handling the stolen phones.

Mr Coleiro alone was also charged with complicity in stealing a stereo from another car and trying to break into a third car in September last year.

Both Mr Aqulina and Mr Cutajar were charged with relapsing.

Mr Coleiro and Mr Aquilina admitted to the charges.

Mr Coleiro was jailed for 14 months and the magistrate recommended that the prison authorities help him address his drug habit while serving time.

She put off judgment in the case against Mr Aquilina till Monday, so that she can review his past convictions, and ordered that he be detained in police custody in the meantime.

Mr Cutajar pleaded not guilty and was granted bail against a €200 deposit and a personal guarantee of €2,000.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted.

Lawyer Renzo Porsella Flores appeared for the accused.