Prosecutors "completely failed" to prove that a man accused of claiming unemployment benefits while working as a tour operator had committed fraud, an Appeals Court found yesterday, as it cleared the man of the charges. 

DJ and former L-Orizzont journalist Charlo Lautier had last year been handed a suspended sentence and ordered to pay the Social Security department almost €5,000, after a magistrate's court found that he tricked it into paying him benefits he was not entitled to.  

But that sentence has now been overturned on appeal, with judge Edwina Grima noting that prosecutors had failed to provide evidence that Mr Lautier's overseas trips had been conducted for profit. 

Prosecutors had accused Mr Lautier of advertising his services as a tour operator under the name DJ Charlo and Fun Travel in newspapers and online. But adverts exhibited in court referred to overseas tours held after the dates mentioned by prosecutors in charges, the court found. 

The Appeals Court found that while there were indications that Mr Lautier might have worked for profit while claiming benefits, the prosecution had failed to prove this beyond reasonable doubt. Mr Lautier was cleared of all charges against him.