A retired man who admitted to having robbed a man twenty years his senior of his pension was handed a six-month effective jail term on Tuesday afternoon but was granted bail after his lawyer gave notice of appeal.

Joseph Troisi, 62, a retired pensioner living at St Paul’s Bay, said he was sorry for what he had done and deeply regretted his error of judgment.

On the morning of June 4, around 10.30am, Mr Troisi followed an elderly man on his way back home from the bank, with his €852 freshly-cashed pension cheque in his pocket.

Police were put on the tracks of the suspect after the 85-year old pensioner reported having sensed someone slipping his hand into his pocket. One minute later, he realised that his cash was gone.

The culprit was identified using CCTV footage from the scene of the crime. The footage showed Mr Troisi closely following the victim into an alley, soon re-emerging and running away from the scene.

He was arrested on Tuesday morning after being spotted by two plainclothes policemen patrolling the area and was charged hours later, pleading guilty to the aggravated theft.

Inspector Jonathan Ransley pointed out that the court needed to send out a strong message that attacks on the most vulnerable members of society could not go unpunished.

“Although he enjoys his own pension, this man turned onto an old man, robbing him of the money that was to see him through the whole month,” Inspector Ransley continued.

Defence lawyer Joseph Ellis pointed out that not only did the accused have a clean criminal record but he had also entered an early guilty plea and moreover,
was very sorry for what he had done.

“What he did is not to be expected of a pensioner but of some errant teenager. That’s why he is so contrite and embarrassed,” Dr Ellis stated, adding that society would stand to benefit more if the accused were handed a suspended sentence.

“This would serve as Damocles’ sword above his head and society would have greater leverage upon him, to ensure he does not misbehave in the future,” the lawyer insisted.

However, magistrate Doreen Clarke, rejected these arguments and condemned the accused to a 6-month effective jail term, prompting the defence lawyer to request suspension of the effects of the judgment, filing notice of appeal and requesting bail.

This request was upheld against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €2,000, an order to sign the bail book twice weekly and a strict prohibition not to set foot in Gżira, where his victim lived.

Inspectors Fabian Fleri and Jonathan Ransley prosecuted.