Two men have pleaded guilty to stealing copper cables worth over €2,300 from Elbros Construction.

Mario Zammit, 26, and Brian Fenech, 38, both of Żabbar pleaded guilty to the theft on February 22 and the weeks before.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri jailed Mr Zammit for four years and issued a recommendation to the prison director to place him in a rehabilitation programme.

Mr Fenech was given a three-year probation order.

Ronald Azzopardi, 25, and Gary Mifsud, 28, also from Żabbar, denied the same charges.

Mr Zammit, Mr Azzopardi and Mr Mifsud were charged with attempted theft on February 22 at 10.30pm. Police Inspectors Kevin Pulis and Carole Fabri said the two men who pleaded guilty had fully cooperated with the police.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri refused to grant Mr Azzopardi and Mr Mifsud bail.

In a separate arraignment, 21-year-old Daniel Callus of Ħamrun pleaded not guilty to stealing from a Sliema shop last Friday and causing a serious injury to a man.

In a request for bail, lawyer Martin Fenech argued that his client took a packet of pasta from the outlet and was attacked by the owner who accused him of not wanting to pay.

The prosecution, conducted by Police Inspectors Joseph Mercieca u Saviour Baldacchino, objected, saying there were witnesses, including Mr Callus’s girlfriend, to prove that was not the case.

The incident was also captured on film by a security camera.

Magistrate Camilleri refused to grant him bail and remanded him in custody at the forensic unit at Mount Carmel Hospital.

Mr Callus recently completed a drug rehabilitation programme.

The magistrate also asked the prosecution to investigate claims by a police constable that Mr Callus swore at him while waiting for another arraignment.