'Trafficker' used the drugs himself, appeal court rules

A 26-year-old man originally jailed for 18 months has had his term reduced to 10 months after an appeal court ruled that he had not trafficked but used a large amount of drugs for himself.

David Buttigieg had been caught by the police in possession of 200 ecstasy pills as he was boarding the Gozo ferry with friends on November 24, 2006.

In his statement to the police he said that a month earlier he had met a man in a disco who had given him an ecstasy pill and his mobile number.

About two weeks later Mr Buttigieg called him and asked to buy about 200 pills worth €1,514.

Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano ruled that the charge against Mr Buttigieg - of possession of the drug showing it was not for his exclusive use - had not been sufficiently proven.

The Chief Justice also took into consideration the testimony of psychiatrist John Borg and of Noel Scerri, the manager of the treatment and rehabilitation centre of the OASI Foundation.

They said that Mr Buttigieg seemed to be very dependent on ecstasy and would use it as "self-medication" because of his emotional problems of a psychiatric nature.

The Chief Justice sentenced him to 10 months in prison instead of 18 and fined him €770.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Mr Buttigieg.