A 29-year-old man from Gzira was placed under a probation order for one year after he pleaded guilty to stealing his father’s car.

The court heard that Clifford Camilleri, 29, had had an argument with his father at a quarry in the limits of Siggiewi and he drove off in his father’s car, leaving him stranded.

His father later filed a report about the incident and asked the police to take action against his son.

The following evening, the son parked the car in front of his mother’s house. The mother and father are separated.

But when the case was taken to court, the father opted not to testify against his son and testified as a witness of the defence.

The court noted that the father’s testimony was different to what he had told the police.

The court said it was convinced the police report was correct but understood that the father was trying to improve relations with his son.

The son had admitted to taking his father’s car and that he had only returned it when he realised that the police were searching for him.

In handing out judgement, Magistrate Doreen Clarke took into considering the circumstances of the crime, the fact that Mr Camilleri was a relapser, the relationship between the father and son and the effect the judgement might have on that relationship and the progress Mr Camilleri was making according to his probation official.