Suspended sentence over escape bid

A Palestinian who scaled a fence in a bid to escape from Ta' Kandja detention centre was yesterday given a suspended jail term after he spent 42 days in preventative custody.

Hbib Mohammed Shedi Hamdi was first noticed acting suspiciously near the fence on May 27. His behaviour caught the attention of officers on duty and, all of the sudden, he jumped onto the fence and tried to get out, Police Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri testified.

Officers rushed in and managed to pull him off the fence.

Police Constable Simon Deguara said that when his sergeant major spoke to Mr Hamdi, the accused claimed he suffered from mental problems and was taking medicine.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano took into consideration the fact that Mr Hamdi had already spent 42 days in the Corradino Correctional Facility and had a clean police record. He handed down a 13-month jail term suspended for 18 months.