Robbers decide to plead guilty

Two young men who carried out a hold-up on a confectionery were yesterday jailed for two years each after they belatedly admitted to their involvement.

The 29-year-olds, Martin Cassar of Sta Venera and George Degabriele of Cospicua, had initially pleaded not guilty to stealing top-up cards, a mobile phone and other cards from Hudson Confectionery in Qormi on March 5, 2004.

They had also denied possessing a revolver, firing it within 200 metres of a residential area and handling stolen property.

Mr Degabriele also denied stealing a Tata Sumo car.

In his statement to the police, Mr Cassar had said he was the one who had entered the shop and carried out the hold-up while Mr Degabriele drove the getaway car.

The first time he went in he found the shop full of people and left. However, he returned 10 minutes later and it was empty.

On the way out, he said, he was followed by a man and fired a shot into the air to scare him away.

Last December, after evidence was heard, Mr Cassar pleaded guilty to all the charges and Mr Degabriele admitted to carrying out the hold-up without the aggravating factor of violence.

Magistrate Jacqueline Pa-dovani took their admissions into consideration before jailing them.