Bail for former reenactor
A young man who used to take part in re-enactments at Fort Rinella this morning pleaded guilty to stealing €1,000 from the fort’s offices in Kalkara.
Police sources said Ryan Bartolo, 21, of Senglea, broke into the offices and made off with money he found in cash and charity boxes.
When legal aid lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar told the court that Mr Bartolo’s girlfriend could pay the money back, Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani said she did not want his girlfriend, with whom he was living, to pay the money for Mr Bartolo.
She told Mr Bartolo that she was giving him one month to find a job and pay back the money stolen before she hands down judgment.
He was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €1,000 until next month.
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11 Comments
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G Falzon
Sep 2nd 2010, 23:39
Where is he going to get E 1000 from in one month if he is not vworking?
Elementary, Mr C. Attard! From his girlfriend.
Joseph Vassallo
Sep 2nd 2010, 22:22
Why must a simple thing like this be misconstrued? Magistrate Padovani didn't say he had to pay €1,000 in a month; she said he had to get a job within a month and then pay the €1,000 before she passes sentence, which I presume she will linger on to give him time to pay back the money he stole. I would imagine that she might want to have a say in how much per month he has to pay out of whatever he is earning.
C. Attard
Sep 2nd 2010, 19:19
What a shameful 'justice' system this country has. Magistrate Padovani wants him to get a job, pay back everything in one month and yet she allows the publication of his name in the media. Who is going to hire this young man who has made one mistake in his life? Where is he going to get E 1000 from in one month if he is not vworking? The obvious answer is that he will get E 100 quickly in some way that may not involve 'work' as most people understand it. Why did the legal aid lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar tell the magistarte that his client's girlfriend was going to pay? What sort of lawyer would say this sort of thing about his client?
Mario Scicluna
Sep 3rd 2010, 06:42
"ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS"
- George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 10
FB Aquilina
Sep 2nd 2010, 18:01
Well done Magistrate for not allowing his girlfriend to pay his bail. I sincerely hope that this chap's girlfriend realizes that she cannot reform him. He must do the job himself. If he doesn't want to reform then its no use waisting precious lifetime on him.
D>Galea
Sep 2nd 2010, 18:39
Hang on, I can see where the magistrate is coming from and in principle I agree but what is this? Assuming that his girlfriend is a human being who earns her money honestly is in no circumstance she should be disallowed on where to put her own money, she can at most be advised against it but anything else is technically illegal. Imagine if someone ordered you where you put your money. As J.Mizzi commented before me the accused paid a dear price for the use of a legal aid lawyer. I proper lawyer would have jumped on such an order!!!
Joseph E Briffa
Sep 2nd 2010, 17:39
I don't think it's easy in the circumstances for this fellow to find a job and earn Eur1 000 in a month, unless he is skilled and has a good standard of education. If he is on the dole he might manage to cough up the shortfall and pay back the Eur1 000 by getting a loan from his family or his friends. Good luck to him and hope he'll make it. Certainly he can be made to do some community work; a jail term will definitely not help this young man to snap out of his bad habits.
j azzopardi
Sep 2nd 2010, 17:19
one month to find a job and work to pay 1000euro , he must get a real good paying job to get 1k and pay it in one month or is it a suggestion :- (hey u r on right track of money spinning ideas ) ONE MONTH TO GET A JOB AND PAY A 1000EURO LOL
J Mizzi
Sep 2nd 2010, 17:11
Find a job? In one month? And after having your name and job details splashed all over the national media?
Good luck, Mr Bartolo.
In my opinion, the presiding magistrate could have at least ordered a ban on the publication of the accused's name, only for this exceptional case. I believe the accused paid a dear price for the use of a legal aid lawyer ...
R.Borg
Sep 2nd 2010, 16:56
Honesty is always the best policy. But it is not enough in this case. Mr.Ryan Bartolo is 21 years old. Jobless. He is living with his girlfriend. His adulthood is already whobbly. On what financial stability? Where are his parents? Did he enjoy a healthy upbringing? It is not my business to know the answers. But it is my business to open society's eyes. RB, his partner and others the like need urgent help.
Tom Camilleri
Sep 2nd 2010, 18:32
Your business is to open society''s eyes??Seriously!! Was that your effort at opening sociey's eyes?? A man is stealing,of course he needs help. Anyways,I wouldn't worry about getting a job after his name being splashed accross the papers.Seems to me like he could become a very good politican. I'm sure some Maltese politican will show him how to take from the people,as they do, instead of charities!!