A 27-year-old Marsascala man who pleaded guilty to fraud and using counterfeit cash was yesterday placed on probation for three years after his probation officer recommended that a jail term would undo the progress he had made over the years.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard how Brian Pace used the bank notes on a number of occasions to buy petrol and diesel on and before January 25, last year.

Mr Pace defrauded Laguna Seca Service Station in Mosta and the Malta International Airport service station in Gudja as well as other petrol stations around Malta.

Before handing down judgment, Magistrate Quintano appointed probation officer Carmen Nygaard to prepare a pre-sentencing report on the accused.

In her report she recommended that the punishment should not take the form a jail term because it would work against the progress he has made so far.

Magistrate Quintano subsequently placed Mr Pace on probation for three years.

Police Inspector Ian Joseph Abdilla prosecuted. Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta appeared for the defence.

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