A man who mugged five people after they withdrew cash from ATM machines in Qormi claiming he needed the money for his sick daughter has been jailed five years.

Antoine Mallia, 35, of Qormi, told the court this morning:

“When I went up to the people to take their money I told them sorry and that this was for my sick daughter... I never hurt anyone,” Mr Mallia said in court adding his father will help him pay back the money stolen if he did not manage to.

However, Police Inspectors Daniel Zammit and Joseph Mercieca, said that they could not confirm whether it was true that Mr Mallia had a sick daughter.

Mr Mallia’s father, Francis, said this was the first time he was hearing that the girl was sick. He said his son had a drug addiction problem and he wished he would attend a drug rehabilitation programme.

Speaking from the dock Mr Mallia told the magistrate that his father was old, did not hear well and had a bad memory.

Mr Mallia pleaded guilty to stealing over €600 in total when he held-up five people who had just withdrawn money from ATMs in Qormi between Sunday at 4 p.m. and yesterday at 8.45 a.m.

He also admitted to holding the five people against their will and the illegal possession of a knife. He also pleaded guilty to stealing from a woman on March 28 and trying to hold up another man in Paceville yesterday.

His lawyer said that his client was not a hardened criminal and had acted in a moment of desperation. The charges showed a somewhat naive crime as he held up people in front of banks that were surrounded by CCTV cameras and even spoke to them to apologise.