The director of a company that provides plumbing and electrician services was given an 18-month jail term suspended for four years for failing to pay €60,867 in VAT.

Mario Cachia, of Marsascala, told Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera he was a plumber and electrician as well as director of Plumelec Limited that was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Police Inspector Maurice Calleja testified that, in 2010, the VAT Department informed him that Mr Cachia had misappropriated funds owed to the government.

Investigations led to Mr Cachia’s arraignment and, during the court case, Mr Cachia said he was aware he had pending payments. He said he had not effected payment because he had financial problems and his company was close to bankruptcy. He added he did not have the money to settle what he owed.

The magistrate ruled that the charge of misappropriation had been proven since Mr Cachia used funds owed to the department for a different purpose.