Two women from Bulgaria who were caught begging for money in Sliema on Wednesday were this afternoon let off with a slap on the wrist, after a court heard how they were trying to raise funds to purchase a flight ticket to go back home.

The women, 20-year-old Elena Varbanova and 23-year-old Paska Stancheva, pleaded guilty to being lazy and living the life of a vagabond as well as to molesting people to donate money.

Magistrate Anthony Vella heard how one was caught in Tower Road, corner with Cathedral Street, while the other was found outside the Tigne Point Shopping Complex.

He heard how the women came to Malta after they were promised a job.

However, when they arrived they could not trace the person who had promised them the job. They spent all their money on accommodation and had to resort to begging to raise funds to purchase a flight ticket back to Bulgaria.

Magistrate Vella let them off by conditionally discharging them for a month.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted while lawyer Anthony Cutajar appeared for the woman.