Two French medical students who stole a small boat in St Julian's and rowed it to Portomaso, were today ordered to pay its owner €800 after the boat was swept out to sea and damaged.

The incident happened on Saturday night.

The two, Francois Jean-Paul Franques and Mathias Perazzi, both 20, admitted stealing the small wooden boat neat the Love monument in St Julian's. They rowed to Portomaso and abandoned the craft there. It was then swept out to sea and was recovered by the AFM.

Legal aid lawyer Martin Fenech said this was a joy ride. He said the amount demanded by the owner was excessive for such a small boat. He also said the accused regretted what they had done.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke conditionally discharged the two men for 18 months and ordered them to pay the owner €400 each within a week. She said that if the damages were found to be higher, they would have to pay the difference.

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