Man allegedly stole to fund wife's cancer treatment
A man who allegedly stole to fund his late wife's cancer treatment was remanded in custody but was given special permission to pick up his children from school and explain the situation before he is taken to prison.
Glen Debattisa, 52, of Sta Venera, and Matthew Portelli, 25 of San Gwann, pleaded not guilty to breaking into and stealing from seven petrol stations between September and November last year.
Both also pleaded not guilty to relapsing.
Police Inspector James Grech told Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani that Mr Debattista had been stealing to fund his wife's cancer treatment. She has since passed away.
Lawyer Jose Herrera pointed out that Mr Debattista was currently the sole carer of his four minor children, the youngest being 11.
At this point Mr Debattista asked to speak to the court and told the magistrate that besides being a market hawker, he was also a full-time carer for his children.
Magistrate Padovani said that was looking at Mr Debattista's voluminous criminal record and 34 theft related charges.
She remanded him in custody but acceded to a request from the defence to allow him to be accompanied by a plain clothes policeman to pick up his children from school before going to prison and explain the situation to them. He was also given time to make arrangements for family members to look after the children.
Mr Portelli was also remanded custody.
Ryan Debattista, 20, Mosta was also charged. He admitted to the thefts and was given a two-year jail term suspended for four years. He was also placed under a treatment order for two years to deal with his drug habit.
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21 Comments
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Peppi Azzopardi
Feb 3rd, 21:53
issa nibghatuh il-habs, nahslu jdejna minnu u kulhadd kuntent ferhan...missna nisthu....peppi
Anthony Agius
Feb 3rd, 22:50
nisthi jien li nhallas it-taxxi? jisthi min hallieh nieqes mis-servizzi socjali! kif qal Pawlu Borg Olivier, kulhadd ghandu jerfa r-risponsabilita.......jew kien qed jirreferi biss fejn jghodd ghall widnejh?
Joe Fenech
Feb 4th, 22:48
Anthony, SPOT ON!
Peppi, you didn't comment on Max Ciantar because probably he's an embarrassment to your party and the way it allows the judicial system to run.
Dorielle Soler
Feb 3rd, 16:44
While not normally hard hearted, lets not get carried away here ! So Mr Debattista was stealing to fund his wife's treatment (allegedly) .... what were his mates funding ? Lets not believe everything we hear, right ?
Eve Axiaq
Feb 3rd, 16:34
U XI HADD LI NQABAD JIMPORTA 4 KILOS COCAINE JIGI MEHLUS MILL ARREST RICENTAMENT U IDUR MAS SAQAJN!!!
Adam West
Feb 3rd, 16:32
How very sad....should never have come to this in the first place.
Tarcisio Bonello
Feb 3rd, 15:59
If this is true the man needs therapy and some comfort and not a prison cell. If I were in his position I would most probably resort to doing the same.... and I dare say ... so would the Magistrate... who wouldn't ????
Salvinu Buttigieg
Feb 3rd, 16:15
Go to prison for helping his wife's cancer treatment and most probably this family is one of the many hundreds in Malta who are under privileged , come charlie boy where is the samaritan in your lot, and yet a dipstick that runs over a person or fatally injure someone get a few years or a couple of months with good behaviour, come on play the whiteman, i thought Malta was a good christain country. Ok stealing is way out of order but could show a little bit more lenient surely have a nice day Canadian Salvino.
S. Zammit
Feb 3rd, 16:19
I would go and ask for help at the community chest fund and not steal.
Tony Borg
Feb 3rd, 18:18
Mr. S.Zammit and you think that this President is something of a Godsend when it comes to the Community Chest Fund. Recently he opened a Bar/Club in a place where No One is allowed to sneeze let alone open a commercial outlet. But all in the name of charity Jahassra.
Angus Black
Feb 3rd, 19:35
Mercy of mercies! A relapser and with a 34 theft record deserves very little mercy in my books.
If the courts give him another 'suspended' sentence, the same people crying (crocodile tears) will promptly criticize the poor shape our Justice system is in Malta!
If his story about his wife's sickness is true, then she should receive the necessary assistance. The report also states that he is the sole carer of his children. Is he supporting his sick wife who resides elsewhere?
Ms Marianne Mercieca
Feb 3rd, 21:53
@ Angus Black
"Mr Debattista had been stealing to fund his wife's cancer treatment. She has since passed away."
she has since passed away = she died
Christina Pace
Feb 3rd, 15:22
This is absolutely shameful! That a man needs to resort to spealing to pay for cancer treatment and ends up in jail for it shows a social deformity of this country's healthcare and financial system. Why are we paying taxes and NI contributions if an essentail health treatment was not given to this man's wife? She was definitely not the first and won't be the last. I know od prople taking loads to finance theor treatment and the governemtn insists that healthcare is and will remain free. What a joke.
M Sciberras
Feb 3rd, 15:46
So if I steal, get arrested, claim before the judge that it was for a good cause, I miraculously become St John the Baptist in your eyes and, let me guess, is-Sur Gonzi f'Kastilja gets another bolt of lightning from the skies while scratching his nose....................
VV Bartolo
Feb 3rd, 15:06
uffffff what a sad story!! i know he's got a hefty criminal record but plz do remember also that he's the sole carer of his family!!
M Cassar
Feb 3rd, 14:44
'Lawyer Jose Herrera pointed out that Mr Debattista was currently the sole carer of his four minor children, the youngest being 11.'
The prosecutor should have then listed all those who were the targets of this person and stated how many children they each had and whether they needed the money to fund any treatment. Using children as an excuse to avoid a prison term is deplorable especially when we conveniently disregard the impact of the crime on victims.
Mariano Camilleri
Feb 3rd, 15:40
i agree with you
Vincent Cassar
Feb 3rd, 14:39
Do the dates of theft fir within th eperiod? Has it been verified that it is so (theft to buy cure)? Why weren't the children asked to state what kind of person is the man. If all is well then I would dare say that the court could have given a bit more... I am not an expert in the field but in such a case I think that Mr Debattista genuinely merited HOUSE ARREST. Taking away a real caring father shall only cause further sufferring to these kids who have already been robbed of their mum now it is even their father. Please AUTHORITIES INTERVENE. iIf there is a bit of doubt give it in favour of these kids.
Ms Maria Vella
Feb 3rd, 14:30
How sad. Of course resorting to crime is not a solution but one can imagine the desperation this man must have been going through
julian caruana
Feb 3rd, 14:22
Poor children, first they lost their mother god knows how they are feeling, now their father too, i hope whoever takes over the house brings in a lot of LOVE and stability... basically a home in order to avoid the cycle to carry on and in ten years time the same article is written about the children......
WHO S TO BLAIM ? ARE WE BORN CRIMINALS OR VICTIMS OF A ROTTEN SOCIETY
julian caruana
Feb 3rd, 20:59
by the way by sending this man to prison what exactly society is getting ??? this is a punishment for his family more than him, what will he do when out of prison?? what about the kids while he is inside??? 4 other rebels in the making maybe???
hallo is anybody out there that cares???