A serial thief who carried out three armed holdups over the span of two weeks was handed an 8-year effective jail sentence after admitting to his wrongdoing in court.

Stephen James Falzon, a 42-year old unemployed Balzan resident was the culprit behind a series of armed robberies targeting three centrally-located retail outlets.

The first coup was aimed at an Iklin pharmacy one February evening in 2017 when the man burst into the shop and made off with an amount of cash.

Two weeks later, two elderly persons inside a Balzan bar were robbed in broad daylight when the accused entered the premises, armed with a firearm and ordered the female shop owner and her customer, both in their seventies, to hand over their cash.

The following day, on March 9, the accused committed his third coup at a pharmacy in Naxxar close to midday, once again grabbing an undisclosed amount of cash.

Mr Falzon was charged with the three aggravated thefts, having held his victims against their will, caused them to fear violence, while being in possession of a firearm without police authorisation.

The accused, who was also a relapser, subsequently pleaded guilty to all the charges.

In view of the “very serious nature” of the offences committed and his criminal record, the court presided over by magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech condemned Mr Falzon to an 8-year effective jail term and a fine of €116.47.

Additionally, the court ordered him to pay some €6,097 by way of court expert expenses and banned him from possessing an arms licence for five years.

Inspectors James Grech, Elton Taliana and Carlos Cordina prosecuted.