A man who was jailed in 2008 for having stolen from 16 churches all across Malta has been granted bail after facing similar charges.

Joseph Attard, a 42-year old Għaxaq resident with an apparent penchant for churches, had been arrested and charged over the theft of cash and two silver rosary beads adorning the St Catherine’s statue at the Żejtun parish church last October. 

He also stands accused of stealing cash, hi-fi equipment and cigarettes from a Nationalist Party club in that same town back in 2003. 

Back in 2008, Mr Attard was jailed for five years after he admitted to stealing from 16 churches. 

Mr Attard has denied the charges and had been previously kept in custody by magistrate Joseph Mifsud, who had  also placed Mr Attard under a Provisional Treatment Order to address his drug problem.

The accused was back in court on Friday morning, with magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace hearing the testimony of a representative from the PN Żejtun club.

The representative recalled how back in 2003, two strangers had walked into the bar and complimented him on the ambience of the place. The following day, the bar owner discovered that there had been a break-in and that some Lm500 had gone missing.

Żejtun's parish priest also testified, describing how two silver rosary beads adorning the titular statue had disappeared last October. The items were worth some €500. A donation box estimated to have contained some €60 was also raided.

Upon a fresh request by the defence and after having heard the testimony of civilian witnesses, the court granted bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000, imposing a curfew between 7.00pm and 7.00am and an obligation to sign the bail book three times weekly.

Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Yanika Vidal were defence counsel.