A man charged with defrauding his former wife of some €2,000 after he forged her signature to claim insurance money has been given a conditional discharge.

The case dates to May 2013, when Catherine Vella filed a criminal complaint against her former husband Albert, claiming she found out through separation proceedings that he had taken some €4,600 from her insurance policy without her permission.

Mr Vella had said that the insurance policy was taken out when they were still together and that it was meant for their children’s wedding gifts.

He denied forging his wife's signature, adding that the money withdrawn was given as a wedding gift to the couple's daughter. However, when asked on the amount she received, the daughter testified that she thought it was "around €2,000".

In his judgment, Magistrate Neville Camilleri noted that he therefore did not know where the rest of the money was directed to.

The court took into consideration the fact that the accused was nearly 60 years old, that his criminal record was relatively clean and that it was proven that part of the money withdrawn went towards his daughter's wedding gift.

He was found guilty of making fraudulent gain but was acquitted of the charges of fraud and of falsifying documents.

The court said that the sentence should be one which, without detracting from the gravity of the crime committed, should make the accused realise that what he did was wrong and that repeating the act could result in serious consequences.

He was conditionally discharged for three years and fined €925.

Inspector Yvonne Farrugia prosecuted while lawyer Stefano Filletti appeared for the accused