A man who admitted to a string of pickpocketing offences and to using a bank card to withdraw a 'considerable sum' from an ATM has been handed a 28-month jail term.

Razvan Aurel Stefan, 38 of Romania, was accused of stealing a woman’s wallet on New Year’s Eve, making off with cash and credit cards which were later used to withdraw a ‘considerable sum of money.’

He was further charged with the misuse of passcodes as well as with committing a string of similar offences in different localities.

Magistrate Astrid May Grima declared the accused guilty upon his own admission and condemned him to a 28-month jail term.

Another self-confessed pickpocket, Andrei Dinica, 47, was handed a six-month jail term suspended for one year and was ordered to reimburse his victims.

The man had admitted to having stolen a woman’s wallet containing €175 and bank cards from a bus passenger on December 29 last year. That same day, he had then proceeded to withdraw €200 from the victim’s bank account.

Inspector Jeffrey Scicluna prosecuted.

Lawyer Lennox Vella was defence counsel.