An Enemalta employee, who pleaded guilty to tampering with electricity meters, has been placed under a community service order for 340 hours by a court which observed that he had shown “no qualms about exploiting his position and biting the hand that fed him”.

Marvin Cucciardi, 39, from Zurrieq, had been charged in 2015 alongside Abraham Muscat from Zabbar and Lewis Sant from Dingli, for damaging electricity meters, threatening a third party, accepting bribes and abusing their position as Enemalta employees.

Mr Cucciardi had been granted bail following his arraignment and the charge regarding threats against a third party was subsequently withdrawn since there was no factual basis for the prosecution’s allegation.

In the course of proceedings, last November, the accused had registered a guilty plea.

When delivering judgment, the court, presided over by magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, observed that the accused had shown no qualms when it came to abusing his position and “biting the hand which provided him with a job”.

On the other hand, the court could not ignore the fact that the accused had admitted to his wrongdoing, cooperated fully in the investigation and had an otherwise clean criminal record.

Taking also into account the recommendations made by the Probation Office, the court concluded that a Community Service Order would be appropriate, thereby ordering the accused to undertake 340 hours of unpaid community work.

The man was also placed under a general perpetual interdiction.

However, the court could not order the accused to refund his employer since the prosecution had failed to prove the amount of the man’s illicit gains.

Police inspector Matthew Vella prosecuted.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi defended Cucciardi. Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia appeared parte civile.