A man found in possession of a car reported stolen in an insurance scam was conditionally discharged for three months.

The car was found in a garage belonging to Mario Aquilina, 50, from Birżebbuġa, in February 1998, with the chassis number and the engine removed. The engine was eventually found elsewhere.

The court heard that the owner of the vehicle, Stephen Borg, had been involved in a bad crash and a panel beater advised him to make an insurance claim as it was not financially viable to repair it.

He therefore filed a false police report that the car had been stolen and had received a payout from his insurer. Mr Borg had been arraigned and admitted making a false report.

The car had in fact been sold to Mr Aquilina who planned to repair it.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman concluded that while Mr Aquilina might not have known that the car was stolen he certainly knew it had been the subject of insurance fraud.