No bail for Romanian charged with Paceville thefts

A Romanian man has been denied bail after being arrested in Paceville and charged with theft and carrying illegal weapons.

George Bogdan Cristianeu, 29, was arraigned before Magistrate Charmaine Galea yesterday morning, accused of stealing cash and a mobile phone from the women’s bathroom at the club Clique. Security staff had been alerted to the man entering the restroom and stopped him, finding the stolen items, together with a flicknife and pepper spray. Cristianeu appeared in court with his arm in a sling.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi said that while the defence disagreed with the facts as stated, the accused had been injured by someone. He asked for CCTV footage from the club and the outside area, in particular St Rita’s steps to be collected and preserved.

“It would be relevant to the case because the presence of the accused at the establishment is the subject matter of the case,” said the lawyer. The man’s frisk search may have taken place in the street as well as the disturbance, said the lawyer.

Bail was requested and opposed by the prosecution. The accused had been arraigned on theft charges in the past and had no ties to Malta.

His lawyer submitted that he had a fixed address in Malta and had family here. A third party guarantor was ready to secure his release, he said.

As family members present in the courtroom sobbed, the court denied bail in view of the fact that he was charged during the operative period of a suspended sentence and the risk of the accused leaving the islands.