A 33-year-old man from Qormi was given a one-year jail term suspended for three years for making use of two fake €100 notes in different shops in June 2013.

On June 16 - Fathers' Day - Darren Mizzi used one of the fake bills to buy a heart-shaped wreath and a Vodafone card and then headed to a bar  and used another €100 bill to buy some soft drinks, a packet of cigarettes and other items.

The owners of both shops realised that the banknotes were fake since they were smoother than usual, and informed the police who arrested Mr Mizzi.

In a statement he told police that he had a drug addiction problem and had bought the drugs and the fake cash from a man. However, he said, he was not aware that the money he used that day was fake since had just been refunded some money that had been deposited at the law courts over another court case.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, who presided over the case, heard a probation officer explain that Mr Mizzi seemed to be committed to turn his life around and attend a residential rehabilitation programme.

She pointed out that she could not order that he started the programme immediately since, for him to be eligible, his methadone dose had to be below 50 millilitres - from the current 90ml - and this could take about two months.

The magistrate therefore decided to give Mr Mizzi - who had previous convictions including theft and living off prostitution - one last chance. She have him a one-year jail term suspended for three years and placed him under the supervision of a probation officer for three years. She also ordered that he refunded the two shop owners.