A 24-year-old man who has been abusing drugs since he became a teenager was jailed for eight months after he admitted to trafficking in heroin to sustain his habit in 2001.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano jailed Sandro Spiteri from Żejtun after hearing how he had been given seven packets of heroin by a supplier every day for two months.

He would keep two packets and sell the rest for €116. In a police statement, Mr Spiteri said he would pay the dealer the following day, adding that he was unemployed and used this method to sustain his habit. He had been doing it for the two months before the date he had been apprehended by the police on December 13, 2001.

The court noted that Mr Spiteri had a serious drug problem and should benefit from a reduced sentence on the recommendation of the probation officer. However, on the other hand, he did sell five packets of heroin every day for two months.

Police Inspector Norbert Ciappara prosecuted.