A 25-year-old man from Mosta was arraigned in court this morning, charged with stealing an iPhone as well as other items from a woman's handbag in Paceville. 

Reuben Alessandro Abela pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft and of relapsing. 

One of the victims, Brazilian Richard Phillipe Torres, took the witness stand to testify since he will be leaving the island tomorrow. 

He told Magistrate Charmaine Galea that he was dancing with his girlfriend and a couple of friends in a Paceville establishment last night when he spotted the accused standing behind her. 

"I thought for a moment he was touching her and I got angry. But then I realised that he had his hand in her handbag." 

Things happened really quickly, the witness continued, describing how the security officer at the establishment moved to stop him. 

Upon realising this, the accused flung the contents of his pocket to the floor. 

"My girlfriend picked up her belongings but my iPhone 6, which was in her handbag, was nowhere to be seen. When the security guard was approaching him, I saw him speaking to another person - he might have passed him the phone." 

Legal aid lawyer Martin Fenech requested bail. 

Prosecuting officer Matthew Spagnol did not object but pointed out that the accused had no interest in working or studying and has been repeating the same crimes in Paceville. He appealed for adequate conditions to be imposed to prevent him from repeating the same crimes. 

The accused said that he was about to start working as a carpenter on Tuesday. 

The court upheld the request for bail, ordering the accused not to approach Paceville.

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