The administrator of the Naxxar Peace Band Club was jailed for two years for illegally storing a large cache of fireworks in the building’s basement, metres away from a petrol station in the town’s main square.

Mark Agius, 41, of St Paul’s Bay, “callously” ignored the safety of passers-by unaware of the fireworks stash, Magistrate Silvio Meli said in his judgment.

Mr Agius had pleaded not guilty to the charges of illegally storing the fireworks and importing them without a licence in May 2008. He had been arraigned separately from the rest of the band club’s committee – 10 men and one woman – who were also charged with illegally storing fireworks. Their case is still being heard.

The fireworks were discovered during a police raid less than a month after a huge fireworks blast demolished three houses and claimed the lives of two Naxxar residents in nearby Ħal-Dejf Street in March 2008. The explosion killed 35-year-old mother of two Sina Sammut and was suspected to have been caused by the other victim, 47-year-old neighbour Paul Camilleri, who may have been manufacturing fireworks inside his garage.

The police were tipped off about the illegal fireworks store in the club’s basement not long after the explosion and they raided the place on May 3. The explosives were found hidden behind a wardrobe, which concealed an opening in the wall leading to a small room lined with jablo.

In his report, an expert nominated by the court noted that one could also go to the basement, where “a large quantity” of ground fireworks, paper and wood were stored, through a steel door leading to the road.

Mr Agius, together with the other committee members, held a key to the place and would frequently go down into the basement, the court noted.

The accused argued he went there only to switch off an electricity timer. He did not have a fireworks licence and never went near fireworks or firing sites.

Magistrate Silvio Meli noted the place where the explosives were kept was “packed” with mechanical equipment and wooden structures used for fireworks displays. There were also boxes of explosives and gunpowder in an outer area where Mr Agius said he went only to switch off the timer. As a result, it was impossible for Mr Agius never to have noticed anything.

The basement was so tightly packed there was very little room for manoeuvre. “This posed a great risk to the safety of people who could have been in the band club in case of a tragedy but also to those in the road or the residents who lived nearby,” the magistrate said.

He pointed out that Mr Agius had never filed an official report or passed on any relevant information to the authorities about the dangerous explosives.

The court said it wanted to send a “clear message” regarding such a dangerous situation where the safety of other people had been “callously ignored”. The magistrate thus jailed Mr Agius for two years.

Police Inspectors Nikolai Sant and Elton Taliana prosecuted.

Lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for Mr Agius.