A Sudanese man was jailed for four months for masturbating in front of a salesgirl inside a Sliema handbag shop last year.

The man, 29-year-old Isse Daraj Majdi, denied the allegations and insisted he only stepped into the shop to buy a suit.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani noted that the shop only sold handbags and found the version of the salesgirl to be more credible.

She found Mr Majdi guilty of breaching public morals and causing the salesgirl to be scared.

The salesgirl testified that on October 11 she was smoking outside the shop when Mr Majdi walked in. She followed him inside and he started looking at some women’s handbags. After some time, he left.

While the salesgirl was arranging the handbags, he walked back inside. It was then that he started masturbating.

The salesgirl shouted for help and the owner of a nearby shop ran to her rescue. Mr Majdi ran away.

When, two weeks later, Mr Majdi returned to her shop she ran out and went to the neighbouring one. The owner chased Mr Majdi while she called the police and he was arrested.

Mr Majdi denied masturbating in the shop and insisted he had gone there to buy a suit.

Magistrate Padovani found Mr Majdi guilty and jailed him for four months. She ordered that the time he spent in preventive custody be deducted from his jail term.

Police Inspector Sarah Magri led the prosecution.