Wrong man, says farmer accused of attempted theft

A cow farmer who practically “lives with” his animals and was allegedly seen by the police trying to steal goats and sheep insisted yesterday it was a case of mistaken identity.

Richard Calleja, 30, of Msida, who owns a cow farm in Magħtab, denied he was the man the police claim to have seen trying to steal the animals last Friday at 11.30 p.m.

Officers from the mobile squad arrived on the scene in Żurrieq after a caller reported a theft in progress. The man, who police believe was Mr Calleja, managed to escape and disappear into the night, Police Inspector Arthur Mercieca said.

He said the officers also spotted his van and recognised him because he was well known to them.

Mr Calleja was tracked down two days later after an intensive search because he was not living at the address indicated on his ID card and other leads took them nowhere, the officer said.

Defence lawyer Raphael Fenech Adami told Magistrate Gabriella Vella that he found it unbelievable that the police could not trace Mr Calleja who practically lived with his cows because it was a 24-hour job.

Defence counsel asked for bail but the prosecuting officer objected arguing the accused was untrustworthy as was evident from his criminal record and the fact that he had been on the run for two days. He added that it was a fact that Mr Calleja had also committed a crime while on probation.

Dr Fenech Adami called his client’s probation officer, Carmen Nygaard, to testify about Mr Calleja and Ms Nygaard said he was a trustworthy person and had kept his appointments with her. Whenever he had problems he would speak to her and they met regularly to keep up his progress.

Magistrate Vella granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000 and a deposit of €500.