A man who was recently released from jail, is back behind bars after damaging several parked cars during a drunken spree in Pieta'.

Mustafa Mohamud Mohamed, a 29-year-old Somali national, was jailed for 10 months after admitting to having damaged the cars on Sunday night.

In the past he had several other brushes with the law which resulted in three separate arraignments.  

On Sunday night, he was arrested after the burglar alarm of one of the damaged cars went off. Residents gave chase, and although he managed to give them the slip, he was apprehended shortly after within the same locality by the police acting upon a description of the suspect.

The man, allegedly reeking of alcohol, was taken under arrest and after some hours in police custody, was escorted to court.

He pleaded guilty to having committed wilful damage to several vehicles, disturbed the public peace, been found drunk in public besides being a relapser.

“I’ve explained to him that he is a guest in Malta,” Inspector Mark Mercieca told the court, adding that it was not fair for citizens to have to put up with the man's behaviour.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop promptly pointed out that his client had pleaded guilty at an early stage and had repented for what he had done. “He did what he did when he did not know what he was doing,” the lawyer continued, adding that he acknowledged that the man’s behaviour was inexcusable.

The court, presided over by magistrate Josette Demicoli, upon the accused’s own admission and in view of the circumstances of the case, declared the man guilty and condemned him to an effective jail term of 10 months.