An Italian man living in Malta was placed under a probation order after pleading guilty to having committed an aggravated theft from Liquid Club, Iklin.

Alessio Scano, 41, born in Turin and currently residing in Buġibba, pleaded guilty to having made off with a Pioneer DJ mixer in the early hours of Sunday morning after having partied at the club.

The man, who is regularly employed with an electronics company and who declared that he has no intention of leaving Malta, admitted to the theft.

The court, presided by magistrate Josette Demicoli, noted that the stolen mixer had immediately been returned to its lawful owner. Moreover the accused had fully cooperated with the police.

For this reason the court, while declaring the man guilty, did not impose an effective jail term but placed him under a probation order for 18 months.

"Should you fail to cooperate with the probation officer, your case would be reappointed and I would have little discretion but to apply an effective jail term," the magistrate warned the accused, who nodded his head in understanding.

Inspector Roderick Spiteri prosecuted. Lawyer Patrick Valentino was legal aid.