Twin sisters were today given a two-year jail term suspended for four after they were found guilty of extorting €8,467 in cash from a deaf man by making him believe one of them wanted to marry him.

They were also ordered to repay him the money.

After making the victim believe they were in love with him, the sisters, who cannot be named because they were minors when the crime was committed, asked him for money to do their hair and nails and buy clothes.

The man started withdrawing money from his bank account and passing it on to them in an envelope. Both sisters sent him text messages, leading him to believe that one of them would marry him.

The twins said they considered the money as “gifts” and denied ever making any outright requests. They said he used to tell them “love me and I will love you”. They said they used to tell him they loved him.

In her judgement, Magistrate Marseann Farrugia concluded that the sisters “manipulated” the relationship into one that revolved about money.