A handyman who vandalised the façade of a Sliema house after being accused of damaging a cane curtain while he was working next door, has been ordered to perform community work by a Magistrate.

The accused, Joseph Grech, 48, from Sliema is well known to the police due to the fact that last year had admitted to stealing €15,000 worth of jewellery, while working as a handy man.

The paint-related incident dates back to 2014 when the owner of a house in Depiro Street had complained, that while the accused was working at an adjacent property he had splashed paint on the reed curtain.

The court heard that a few days later, the man had intentionally sprayed light blue paint on this façade as well as the windows.  The culprit was identified after the victim’s son had found a bucket on the pavement with the his name on a sticker affixed to the container.

The prosecution said that a few days prior to this incident the victim’s son had seen a suspicious-looking man staring at his mother’s residence. The accused was later observed walking near the Sliema police station wearing clothes stained with blue paint.

Questioned by the police, the accused had admitted that his act  of vandalism, was in retaliation done to the woman’s  compensation claim who asked for a new curtain worth €70.

The accused who subsequently filed a guilty plea even admitted that he would vandalise the property whenever the thoughts of the compensation claim crossed his mind.  

A court-appointed psychologist reported that in the years since the incident, the accused had made progress in overcoming the “psychological difficulties” with which he had been afflicted.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja sentenced the accused to perform 200 hours community service and pay the damage he caused to victim. The painter was also placed under a treatment order and a protection order in favour of the victim was also issued.

Lawyers Marion Camilleri and Franco Debono were defence counsel.