A maid has been handed a suspended two-year jail term and ordered to pay for a diamond engagement ring which she stole from a house.

The accused, Maria Teresa Ambinette, from Zejtun, admitted to stealing the engagement ring worth €4,600 from a Luqa house.

She said she regretted her actions, which were motivated by the fact that she had separated, she had three children to raise, and she was facing hard times. She said one of her daughters had medical problems.

The maid denied claims that over the span of a year she had stolen several other items of jewellery.

The court said that only the theft of the engagement ring had been proven.

It said it had considered that the accused had no previous convictions, and that a prison term would make it more difficult for her to pay the victims for the ring - which had been sold.

Ms Ambinette was therefore handed a suspended jail term and ordered to pay for the ring within six months. She was also ordered to pay €500 in court costs within three months.