A pensioner from Paola was this morning jailed him for nine months suspended for two years and placed under a four-year supervision order for setting fire to a vineyard in a nature reserve in Mġarr.

Spiru Cini, 65, pleaded guilty to starting a fire in a number of fields, including a vineyard, in the Riviera Nature Park earlier this month. He also admitted to destroying a number of protected plants.

Following his arraignment, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera had ordered the man to be examined by a psychiatrist.

In his report, Dr Mark Xuereb said the accused had had mental problems in the past and had also been a patient at Mount Carmel Hospital for some time suffering from Schizoeffective Disorder with Hypomanic Symptoms.

However, he did not feel the man was suffering from mental problems at present. However, he had a problem realising the consequences of his behavior because of a very low IQ and limited mental abilities.

The man, the doctor said, was sorry for what he did and realised that it was wrong.

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