A Valletta repeat offender was yesterday jailed for 28 months after pleading guilty to snatching necklaces worn by three elderly women between May and July.

Christopher Ryan, 21, who works as a chef, admitted to the thefts and to relapsing.

He had already served time in jail over the same crime committed in the past.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera told Mr Ryan he had started his career as a criminal at the age of 17.

“You are far too young to be in court. You need to do something with your life and reform as you’ll land yourself in more trouble,” she warned him.

Defence lawyers Veronique Dalli and Dean Hili told the magistrate that their client had a drug addiction problem and asked the court to recommend that he start and successfully conclude a drug rehabilitation programme.

Police inspectors Fabian Fleri and Kurt Zahra charged Mr Ryan with stealing a necklace from a woman walking through Eldorado Street in Ħamrun on May 27. He also snatched another necklace worn by a woman as she walked through Anton Buttigieg Street in Ħamrun on June 14 and snatched yet another necklace worn by a woman walking through Canon Road in Santa Venera. The total value of the three necklaces was €1,000, the court heard.

The magistrate heard the prosecution and defence agree on an imprisonment of two years and four months, which was the lowest sentence in the circumstances, especially given that Mr Ryan had committed similar offences in the past and had also been convicted for them.