A Libyan man this afternoon refused the assistance of a lawyer as he adamantly pleaded guilty to theft from a Paceville nightclub.

As he appeared before Magistrate Josette Demicoli, Ali Muftah, 24, insisted that he wanted to plead guilty to the charge even though his legal aid lawyer was not present in the courtroom.

But the magistrate would not have him admit to something without first consulting his lawyer. Mr Muftah began getting restless and could not understand why he was not being allowed to plead guilty to something he had committed.

“Why can’t I just plead guilty? I did it. It was me who stole that bag from the bar. So why can’t you just send me to jail and that’s it?” he told the magistrate.

She replied that she could not let him admit to something without first consulting his lawyer so that he would know the consequences of the decision.

He stands charged with running off with a bagful of gifts given to a woman celebrating her birthday with her friends at a Paceville establishment.

Mr Muftah is also charged with the simple possession of cannabis while under arrest at the police lock-up, with committing a crime while on bail over other cases and with breaching a suspended sentence imposed in June last year.

The magistrate put the case off to Tuesday for Mr Muftah to confirm or otherwise his guilty plea, in the presence of his lawyer.

Police inspectors Matthew Spagnol and John Spiteri prosecuted.