A 30-month prison sentence was converted to a suspended jail term after an appeals court cleared a man of relapsing.

Joseph Portelli appealed after being jailed for falsifying signatures on traveller cheques to the detriment of Thomas Cook, circulating counterfeit US dollars and relapsing in 2009.

The appeals court, presided over by Mr Justice Michael Mallia, cleared Mr Portelli of relapsing, noting that the prosecution had relied on a number of previous convictions as proof.

More than five years had passed since Mr Portelli committed the crimes and, as a result, he could not be accused of relapsing, Mr Justice Mallia said.

He also noted that Mr Portelli had reimbursed Thomas Cook.

However, the appeals court said it was convinced Mr Portelli tried to deceive the exchange bureau into thinking that the traveller cheques were genuine.

While confirming Mr Portelli’s guilt, the appeals court cleared him of relapsing and converted his prison sentence to two years’ jail suspended for three.