A foreigner living in Malta illegally attempted to steal goods from a Mellieħa supermarket to feed himself and his pregnant girlfriend.

Serbian-born Alb Aleksandar, 33, who had been living illegally in Malta for the past two years, was stopped last Saturday afternoon by staff at the supermarket after he was caught trying to leave without paying.

Prosecuting inspector Godwin Scerri told the court that the police had been called in after the customer was stopped and confronted by supermarket staff. The value of the goods amounted to €167, the court was told.

The man was later arrested, admitting to the police that he has been trying to steal because he had no money left, was jobless and had a pregnant girlfriend to sustain.

Investigations revealed that the accused had been residing illegally in Malta for the past two years, with no traces of his presence being registered on official records.

Inspector Scerri informed the court, presided over by magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, that the man was to be deported once the proceedings were over.

In view of the man’s guilty plea, bearing in mind that no items had actually been stolen, that the man had fully cooperated with the police and that he was to be removed from the island, the court declared him guilty and condemned him to a 1-month jail term suspended for one year.

Lawyer Martha Mifsud was defence counsel.