A young lady who last month admitted stealing cash from the University library pigeonholes, has been afforded a second chance by a Magistrates’ Court to get back on the right path.

Amber-Ann Zammit, a 23-year-old from Ħamrun, currently unemployed, had been arraigned under arrest in February after incriminating CCTV footage had linked her to some six separate instances when she made off with small amounts of cash, left among the personal belongings placed inside the library compartments.

Investigators had managed to track her down.

Upon her arraignment, the young lady registered an admission and was granted bail pending the drawing up of a pre-sentencing report requested by her defence counsel.

Once that report had been concluded and handed over to the court, presiding magistrate Charmaine Galea proceeded to hand down judgment, declaring the young lady guilty upon her own admission.

When meting out punishment, the Court took note of various factors, including the accused’s early guilty plea, her cooperation with the police as well as the Probation Officer’s recommendations.

These considerations weighed against the accused’s criminal record and the fact that she had committed the thefts under the terms of a conditional discharge, a first opportunity handed to her by the courts.

In view of the accused’s age, the court deemed that the youngster could benefit through probation which would offer her an opportunity to get her life back on track, thus issuing a three-year Probation Order.

The court warned that a similar opportunity might not present itself once more should another offence be committed.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.

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