A convicted murderer who is serving a lifetime jail sentence has been jailed for a further 10 months after he was found guilty of heroin possession in jail in 2007.

Andy Calleja, 34, was sentenced for being in possession of just over three grams of heroin which were found in his cell during a surprise inspection on January 24, 2007.

He was also found guilty of relapsing but was cleared of taking the drugs into prison.

Mr Calleja is serving a life sentence for shooting Roger Debattista, a police constable who was carrying out extra guard duties at the Bank of Valletta branch at Qormi which was the target of the hold-up on November 12, 2001.

Mr Debattista had been wounded, but not fatally but Mr Calleja then took aim and shot Mr Debattista on the right hand side of his stomach, killing him on the spot.

The court heard how correctional officers raided Mr Calleja's cell, which he shared with another prisoner, Ronald Rotin. When they barged in, they saw Mr Calleja putting his hand in his pocket and when he got it out, a sachet containing a substance suspected to be heroin fell to the ground.

Mr Calleja denied the drugs were his and had tried to shift the blame onto his cellmate but the court, presided over by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras said the testimonies of the correctional officers was more credible than his, so she found him guilty and jailed him for 10 months.

Police Inspector Victor Aquilina prosecuted.