Two 18-year-olds living out of a car plead guilty to string of fuel thefts
Two 18-year-old men who were living out of a car yesterday pleaded guilty to a string of thefts, mainly consisting of diesel.
The two were also charged with stealing a grinder from a car and purchasing stolen goods. One of the 18-year-olds was also charged with driving without a licence, stealing a car, stealing items from a shop and committing voluntary damage.
One of the two was given three years probation. In this case, prosecuting inspector Spiridione Zammit told the court that the accused cooperated with the police, and even informed them of some thefts they were not aware of. The police suspect the accused has a soft-drug problem. The prosecution also said that the accused wants to change his lifestyle, and seemed very sorry for what he had done. Dr Noel Bartolo, representing the accused, recommended probation, to which the prosecution did not object. He will be staying with his sister.
In the case of the second accused, the police said that this is a different story. “There is a soft-drug abuse problem,” the prosecution said. Inspector Zammit recommended a sentence that would help the accused. Dr George Anton Buttigieg, representing the second accused, requested a sentencing report prior to the court deciding on the penalty of the crimes, which the prosecution agreed would be helpful in order to know the accused’s background. The inspector mentioned that the accused eats rubbish, cheap food, lives outside and said that he cannot continue living like that.
The inspector, in this case, also said the accused told the police he wants help. The defence did not request bail and both parties agreed that the suspect should be kept away from the more dangerous prison population in order for the accused not to be influenced further towards a life of crime.
Magistrate Josette Demicoli will decide on his penalty after a sentencing report is conducted.
