A London-based Maltese chef caught using counterfeit money in Paceville was today let off with a conditional discharge after he told a court he had not realised the banknotes were fake. 

Terence Paul Saliba, 23, currently residing in London, came over to Malta to celebrate the festive season with family and friends. Yet his holiday took an unexpected turn when he went to Paceville with €200 to spend and ended up in police custody.

The court heard how the accused had received the money from a friend who had wanted to dispose of the currency before his return to England. The accused had then unwittingly gone to Paceville, meaning to spend the cash, only to be arrested and taken to court for having circulated false currency.

The defence pointed out that the accused was a qualified chef who worked in a well-established restaurant in the English capital. Although the bank notes were evidently fake, his client insisted that he never realised this. The defence argued that in such circumstances, a conditional discharge would be appropriate since the young man had not acted in bad faith.

The prosecution confirmed in open court that the accused had fully cooperated with the police. Moreover, when questioned he had repeatedly insisted that he never knew that the currency was false. Had he known, he would never have tried to pay with the fake notes, the accused had said.

The court, presided by magistrate Audrey Demicoli, took note of the man's guilty plea and of the fact that the prosecution did not object to the punishment proposed by the defence.

It declared Mr Saliba guilty and conditionally discharged him for 3 years. The court warned the accused that he was not to commit another offence within these 3 years.

The court also ordered that the counterfeit notes be confiscated and transferred to the Central Bank for further analysis.

Inspectors Nikolai Sant and Matthew Vella prosecuted. Lawyer Edward Gatt was defence counsel.