Fugitive caught and returned to Malta

An Italian fugitive who left the island while on bail was caught in Italy last week and escorted to Malta on Thursday night after spending more than three months on the run.

Leandro Ambrogio, 45, who was born in Reggio Di Calabria but lived in Marsascala, had already left the island while on bail to visit his mother last year and has two pending court cases against him.

Mr Ambrogio was first arraigned in February last year for battering his daughter’s boyfriend’s car with a rock because, he said, he was not pleased with the relationship since the man was 30 years older.

He admitted to the charge but judgement was postponed to another day and he was granted bail on the condition that he did not leave the country without informing the courts.

Ignoring this, he flew to Italy in May and only returned in September, when he was immediately arrested.

He was imprisoned for 90 days but immediately appealed and was released on the same bail conditions.

Then, in November, he failed to appear in court again and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Now that he has been brought back, his bail has been revoked and he has been placed under preventive custody until he is arraigned for breaking his conditions again in the coming days.