A young man, currently preparing for admission into a drug rehabilitation programme, was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to a spate of thefts earlier this month.

Andreas Buhagiar, 24, unemployed from Qormi, was arraigned and charged with two cases of  theft and an attempted theft allegedly committed during the operative period of a suspended sentence as well as with being a relapser.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard how on the night of January 18, the man was allegedly been involved in the theft of cash, exceeding some €2,300, and a dog from a Qormi farmhouse.

On that same occasion, the man had allegedly also tried to break into a Mercedes but had somehow failed to carry out his intended plan.

The also linked the accused to an earlier episode wherein, one January afternoon, the same man allegedly stolen a mobile phone in Qormi.

A request for bail was objected to by the prosecution since the main witness was an old-time friend of the young man. Although apparently the two were no longer in touch, the risk of tampering with evidence was clearly existent.

Moreover, the man lacked trustworthiness, the prosecution pointed out, adding further that a glance at his criminal record showed that barely months ago he had been handed a suspended sentence for similar offences.

“That is why we are back here today,” the prosecuting officer remarked.

Upholding these arguments, the court rejected the request for bail pending the testimony of the main witness, whilst recommending that the man be held at the Forensic Unit.

Inspector Roderick Agius prosecuted.

Lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace was defence counsel.