A man who admitted to stealing €5,000 in cash from his elderly father’s room at the home where the latter was cared for was on Friday given a suspended sentence and ordered to refund the money.

Raymond Bonnici, the 57-year old Marsa resident who works as a dishwasher at a local hotel, admitted to the aggravated theft which took place earlier this month.

Prosecuting Inspector Mario Xiberras explained how the 86-year-old had reported that the cash had gone missing from a pouch which he kept under lock and key inside the room at the elderly people’s home in Cospicua, where he was resident.

The man had spent some time in hospital and had asked his son to bring him some petty cash from his pouch at the home. Upon his return to the residence, the man found an empty pouch.

The victim had explained to investigators that only his son, besides himself, had the key to the place where the money was kept.

The victim’s son was summoned by the police, admitted to his wrongdoing and returned the pouch with all that was left behind - €350 in cash. He confirmed his guilt before duty magistrate Josette Demicoli.

Inspector Xiberras informed the court that although the elderly victim could not make it to court, he had expressed his wish to forgive his son as long as the latter returned the stolen money.

Defence lawyer Jacques Grima pointed out this fact when making submissions on punishment, also indicating the accused’s age and his clean criminal record.

In view of the man’s own guilty plea, the court condemned him to an 18-month jail term suspended for three years and ordered him to pay the remaining €4,650 within 30 months in €155 monthly payments.