Foreigners found guilty of petty crime and others who commit similar crimes should be dealt with seriously, Magistrate Carol Peralta said as he gave a 49-year-old Georgian woman a one-year jail term suspended for two years for handling stolen property.

Eliso Iremadze, who lives in Paceville had been found in possession of a stolen tablet and two mobile phones.

Police Inspector Jonathan Ransley said that a suspended jail term would be ideal since the woman had been very uncooperative and investigations were ongoing.

Legal aid lawyer Patrick Valentino said that he could not understand how someone charged with handling stolen property could be held under arrest for 48 hours when she has been living in Malta for two years.

Magistrate Carol Peralta said this was a very serious crime especially when it was committed by foreigner who were taken in by a hospitable country.

These were cases the court could not close an eye to and a message had to be sent to the woman’s fellow countrymen that if they committed such crimes, they would have to face justice.

He said that although he would not be sending the woman to prison, foreigners found guilty of petty crime as well as others committing similar crimes had to be dealt with seriously.