A Cuban national who robbed a Paceville stationery at knifepoint on Saturday, the day after he arrived for a holiday, was yesterday jailed for four years.

Eliseo Carrillo Montoro, 26, who holds an Italian identity card, made off with €2,515 from Eros Stationery early in the morning. He was arraigned under arrest on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him, including that of holding shop owner John Attard Kingswell at knife-point.

When he appeared before Magistrate Charmaine Galea yesterday, Mr Montero again pleaded guilty and was sentenced to jail.

Police Inspectors Fabian Fleri and Carol Fabri told the court Mr Montoro had arrived from Italy just the day before the robbery. Following the crime, he shaved his hair in an attempt to change his appearance and, later that day, spent the theft money at the Oracle Casino, in Buġibba. Later, he turned up at a police station asking for help since he had spent all his money and could not buy anything to eat.

Investigations revealed he was involved in the robbery and, when asked, the man admitted it had been him.

Handing down judgment, Magistrate Charmaine Galea said that what Mr Montoro had done was “very serious”, especially when considering that he had only been in Malta for less than a day. She noted he was unemployed and there was “very little hope” the stationery owner would be compensated for his losses.

The magistrate ordered him not to harass Mr Attard Kingswell in any way, against a €2,000 fine in default. He will also have to pay the costs of the court case.

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