A man who claimed he was the chief executive officer at the Office of the Prime Minister last year ordered €600 worth of food from a Sliema restaurant for a staff event he never paid for, a court heard.

Jason Manuel Briffa, 40, from Swieqi admitted defrauding the restaurant and relapsing on October 12, 2013, and was jailed for eight months.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard how Mr Briffa admitted placing an order, claiming that the food was for an office reception.

He then went to pick up some of the food and told the restaurant owner he would pay when he returned for the rest  but he never showed up.

On handing down judgment, the magistrate noted that Mr Briffa had filed a guilty plea and his father had paid back the restaurant.

However, she noted, Mr Briffa had a very colourful criminal record, with many other convictions, which included defrauding Dar tal-Providenza, the residential home for the disabled.

The magistrate said the courts had given Mr Briffa several opportunities to change his ways but he had not and, in light of this, an effective jail term was necessary.

Police inspector Trevor Micallef prosecuted while lawyer Noel Bianco represented the accused.