A Somali national was yesterday given a one-year jail term suspended for two years after he admitted to assaulting a woman and snatching her handbag in St Julians on New Year's Day.

Police Inspector Carlo Ellul said that at about 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Kamil Hasan Hamsa, 29, pushed the 51-year-old woman to the ground, kicked her and ran off with her handbag. When Mr Hamsa was apprehended some time later, the police found him in possession of some of the woman's belongings, including her mobile phone and some cash. Magistrate Silvio Meli heard defence counsel Patrick Valentino ask for a suspended sentence as this was Mr Hamsa's first offence in Malta. Dr Valentino added that Mr Hamsa has been a resident in Malta for the past four and a half years and has never had any problems with the police so far.

The magistrate took into consideration the fact that Mr Hamsa offered to pay for any damages he had caused to the woman, which did not exceed €232.93 (Lm100).

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