A thief was spared jail by a magistrate after she felt he deserved another chance to kick his drug habit once and for all.

Ivan Camilleri, 36, of St Paul’s Bay, stole about €3,600 worth of precious items from eight jewellery shops between June and July last year.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said in her judgment yesterday that while out on bail, Mr Camilleri was assigned a probation officer to monitor him and make sure he remained on the right track. In that period he proved he wanted to reform and was in detoxification after spending some time at a rehabilitation home.

Urine tests were negative for drugs and Mr Camilleri said he wanted to continue attending the rehabilitation programme.

The magistrate said she had taken into consideration the fact that most of the stolen items had been returned and that he had cooperated fully with the police during investigations.

The only other conviction on his criminal record was a conditional discharge for slightly injuring a person in 2008, she added.

Police Inspector Daniel Zammit prosecuted.