Young church bell thieves fined, given suspended sentences

A court has handed a €500 fine and a suspended sentence to two brothers who pleaded guilty to having stolen objects, including two church bells from a chapel in Ghaxaq in 2013.

The siblings, who were 14 and 15 when the offence was committed, had been charged with the aggravated theft of two church bells and some copper cables from the bell tower of the Santu Kristu chapel in Ghaxaq. The brothers were also charged with negligently causing damage to cultural property and defacing a monument.

In her judgement on the case, magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo said she had taken into account the brothers’ early admission and collaboration with the police when deciding on punishment.

The court handed down a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The youths were also fined €500 each, giving them 25 months to deposit the fine.

Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.