A Sicilian man has been jailed for nearly seven years after he admitted to grievously injuring the owner of a Rabat shoe shop in an armed robbery in 2015.

Alessandro Gandolfo, 37 from Catania had been accused together with fellow Sicilian Domiano Torrisi, 39, of theft aggravated by violence, holding the shop's 66 year-old owner against his will, being in possession of a weapon without a licence and seriously injuring the shop owner.

The hold-up occurred in November 2015 a shoe shop in College Street, Rabat. Two hooded men, armed with a knife, had entered the shop and taken around €2,000.

The shop owner, who was 66 years old at the time, required hospitalisation after he was injured during the robbery.

The Sicilians had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but Gandolfo changed this plea to an admission of guilt.

The Criminal Court, with Judge Edwina Grima presiding, jailed Gandolfo for 6 years and 8 months, fining him €116.47 and ordering him to foot the €3461.35 bill for the appointment of court experts.