A 33-year-old deliveryman pleaded guilty to stealing from his former employer to repay a loan his boss had given him.

Charlot Camilleri, from Tarxien, was charged with aggravated theft and causing damage to the properly of Aquatess Marketing Ltd, in Qormi, where he was employed by Andrew Ellul Sullivan.

The theft was carried out last month with the help of a 16-year-old accomplice, who was given €1,000 from the stolen cash, which amounted to €7,500.

The teenager was arraigned on Tuesday and put on probation. The court heard that Mr Camilleri had accumulated debts with his employer over two years.

Mr Camilleri pleaded guilty.

Defence lawyer Roberta Spiteri argued that Mr Camilleri had a very difficult upbringing and asked the court to place him under probation.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace rejected the request, adding that she could not quite understand why the accused, who had been employed and was earning money, had decided to rob his employer.

The court sentenced him to two years in jail suspended for four years and ordered him to pay back €6,500 within six months. Mr Camilleri’s cousin, his new employer, will act as guarantor.