A drug addicted thief was yesterday jailed for 12 months after he admitted to stealing a pensioner’s purse containing €15.

Stephen Catania, 27, from Ħamrun stole the purse from 65-year-old Maria Assunta Portelli on Thursday at 1.30 p.m. and ran off only to be arrested a short time later. The incident happened in his home town.

Mr Catania pleaded guilty to stealing the purse and relapsing.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli noted the seriousness of the case remarking that although the charge referred to theft the crime targeted an elderly lady and the accused had relapsed.

Paging through the exhibited documents, the magistrate said that he had previously been given a six-month jail term suspended for two years and also a probation period.

Magistrate Demicoli brought into force the suspended jail term and jailed him for a further six months for a total of 12.

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