Two men were today jailed for two years for committing a hold-up at a confectionery in Qormi during which a pistol was fired.

Martin Cassar, 29 of Sta Venera and George Degabriele, 29 of Cosicua was convicted of the hold-up at Hudson Confectionery in Triq il-Helsien, Qormi, on March 5, 2004. A mobile phone and top-up cards were stolen. No one was injured and no cash was stolen.

Both men admitted their participation in the hold-up. Mr Cassar said he was the one who entered the confectionery while Mr Degabriele waited in the getaway car. When Mr Cassar entered the shop the first time, he found it to be full of people and left. He went back in after 10 minutes and it was empty.

Mr Degabriele said that as Mr Cassar came out of the shop, he fired a shot at a chasing men and then they drove off.