Two young men today admitted to committing a string of thefts from various clothing outlets.

Neeson Abela, 20, and Catriel Mark Refalo, 18, were accused of shoplifting various clothing items from clothing retail outlets Bortex and Zara and of handling stolen goods. Mr Refalo alone was charged with stealing from retail outlets Springfield and Hilfiger Denim.

Prosecuting officer Trevor Micallef explained how the youths would either remove the clothes' security tags in an effort to avoid setting off the alarm or would instead chuck the items in a paper bag lined with tin foil.

Both youths admitted to the charges.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea noted that Mr Abela had a number of prior convictions.

"You have regressed from a probation order, to a conditional discharge and, now, to a suspended sentence. The next step is imprisonment," the magistrate warned the youth.

"The court has given you three chances. You are going to ruin your life if you persist down this pathway."

The court also observed that a number of years had passed since his last crimes, advising him to seek help for any event which prompted him back into a life of delinquency.

The youth answered that he had been intending to do so.

The court sentenced the accused to seven months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered him to pay the sum of €238 within six months.

Mr Refalo was handed a two-year probation order in view of his clean criminal record and ordered to pay €291 within six months.

Lawyer Mark Zammit Cutajar appeared for the accused.