DJ and l-Orizzont reporter Charlo Lautier has been jailed 13 months suspended for two years for working as a tour operator while receiving unemployment benefits.

The case dates to 2012, when the police received a report that the accused was advertising his services as a tour operator under the name of 'DJ Charlo and Fun Travel'. The accused had also organised a number of tours with Virtu Ferries between January 2011 and September 2012.

According to ETC documentation, the accused had been registering as unemployed between March 2011 and May 2013. Moreover, between January and March 2011, he had been registered as working with One Productions Limited, a job unconnected to travelling.

In a statement given to the police, the accused admitted to organising day trips to Sicily and that he had no licence to do so. Asked why he kept on registering as unemployed and receiving benefits, the accused replied that he did not consider his work as a job but as a hobby.

He was charged with defrauding the government of nearly €5,000 and with working as a tour operator without a licence. However, the second charge was dropped since it was time-barred.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke found him guilty of tricking the Social Security Department into providing him with unemployment benefits and ordered him to pay it €4,869.51 within six months.

Police Inspector Jonathan Ferris prosecuted.