A man pocketed more than €700 in cash donations intended for a band club.

The man, of Żabbar, yesterday pleaded guilty to misappropriating €769 from the town’s Our Lady of Graces Society, St Michael Band in September 2009 and was given a suspended sentence. Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard the club had authorised the man to collect donations from Żabbar but after disagreement with him it withdrew the authorisation.

However, he went on collecting donations unnoticed until someone asked the band club whether it had received a donation.

The man also pleaded guilty to falsifying signatures, committing a crime he was in duty bound to prevent, collecting money without police authorisation and relapsing.

The court handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four and ordered him to repay the full amount to the band club within six months.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted.

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