Two teenage brothers who stole church bells from a chapel in Għaxaq were handed a suspended prison sentence and condemned to pay a fine today. 

Clyde and Mario Mallia, 18 and 19 respectively, committed the aggravated theft in February 2013, the court was told.

The young men pleaded guilty to having stolen the bells from the chapel of Santu Kristu and to having caused damage to cultural property.

The court, presided by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, noted the brothers' early guilty plea and their cooperation with the police.

The accused were condemned to a jail term of 15 months suspended for two years and a fine of €500 each. The court ordered them to pay this fine within 25 months.

Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted. Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were counsel for the defence. 

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.