Gate-crasher lands in the dock

A drunken man who set fire to a sofa in his girlfriend’s house and then smashed a car windscreen with a gas cylinder was yesterday given a suspended jail term and fined.

Carmel Camilleri, 53, of Żurrieq, torched the sofa during a heated argument with his girlfriend who had insisted that she did not want him at her birthday party.

The incident occurred at 1 a.m. on October 30, 2007.

The party was held at the boċċi (bowling) club in Qormi where Mr Camilleri turned up after he had spent some time drinking at a bar. He stayed at the party for only a short while, the Attorney General said in the bill of indictment.

His girlfriend left her party about 15 minutes later and went home to find Mr Camilleri waiting for her outside the house they shared in the same village.

An argument ensued, Mr Camilleri went inside and set fire to the sofa, then going outdoors again and smashing the windscreen of a car besides damaging another vehicle.

As a result of plea bargaining, the more serious charge of arson endangering life was reduced to arson without danger to life and Mr Camilleri pleaded guilty. He also admitted to being drunk, breaking the peace and damaging the house and cars.

Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano said he noted that the damage caused had been paid for by Mr Camilleri.

Furthermore, neither his girlfriend nor her family wanted to take the matter any further.

He thus handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years and fined Mr Camilleri €2,500.

Lawyers Joe Giglio and Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi appeared for Mr Camilleri.