Original judgements in VAT scam case confirmed

The original judgements given by the Magistrates Court to seven men who pleaded guilty in the VAT Department scam were this morning confirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

The appeals by the Attorney General were turned down.

The men had been given suspended sentences with three also being fined €1,850 between them.

They also got a general interdiction, which basically removes their legal status in matters such as voting and being party to a contract of any kind.

Neville Mula, Jesmond Abela and Anthony Migneco had been given an 18-month jail term suspended for four years.

Besides the 18-month jail term suspended for four years, Gregory Brincat and Sebastian Bonnici had also been fined €700.

Maurice Agius had been given an 11-month jail term suspended for three years and Carmel Deguara a two-year jail term suspended for four years. The latter was also fined €450.

Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano this morning declared that the Magistrates Court had handed down punishments which were within the parameters of the law and that it used discretion which made sense in the circumstances.

The court, he said, was not there to satisfy public outcry or to judged by comments on the internet.