A man was today given a suspended jail term just hours after damaging third party property while being drunk on the streets of Sliema in the early hours of this morning.

Sicilian-born Alessio Manfredi, 31, residing in St Julian's, admitted in court to smashing the window of a disused shop in Manuel Dimech Street. He was further charged with being drunk in public and in possession of a prohibited weapon.

The man, who refused the assistance of a lawyer, openly admitted "I made a mistake. It was a small thing".

The prosecution informed the court that the accused had been walking along Manuel Dimech Street with his girlfriend when he swung his helmet and smashed the shop window. The man was stopped and searched by the police following a tip-off. A knuckle duster was discovered in his possession.

Before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, the accused explained that following a nasty experience, wherein he was once followed by "two really bad guys" all the way home while in the company of his girlfriend, he had decided to carry a knuckle duster for added security.

"In Malta that is a prohibited weapon," the magistrate explained to the man.

After taking note of the accused's early guilty plea, his clean criminal record sheet and his cooperation with the police, the court condemned him to a jail term of five months suspended for one year.

The court also ordered the accused to pay the shop owner €84 within six months.
Inspector Lara Butters prosecuted.