Homeless man admits to shoplifting attempt

A 35-year-old man from Libya has been sentenced to imprisonment for eight months, suspended for 15, after pleading guilty to attempting to steal clothes from a Qormi sports goods shop.

Marzoq Abdelaiz was arraigned under arrest before magistrate Josette Demicoli on Friday morning, after being arrested on Wednesday morning at Decathlon’s Qormi outlet.

He was charged with attempted theft, as well as with insulting and attacking a security guard.

Prosecuting police inspector Roderick Agius told the court that the accused had tried to leave the premises with items of clothing which he had not paid for. Abdelaiz had been stopped by a security guard, whom he threatened and insulted.

When the police arrived, Abdelaiz was taken into custody. Documents which turned out to have been reported stolen from a vehicle shortly before the arrest were also found in his possession.

He informed the police that he was homeless.

The accused had admitted to the police to having tried to steal them, said the inspector. Addressing the magistrate through an interpreter, Abdelaiz told the court that he was truly sorry for what he had done, adding that “everyone makes mistakes in life” and explaining that he had a drug problem.

He told the court that he had been self-employed but had fallen into drug abuse. “I want to lead a better life.”

After being given the opportunity to change his plea, with the court warning that he could be jailed for the crime, Abdelaiz confirmed his admission of guilt.

In sentencing the accused, the magistrate took into account his early guilty plea and the submissions by both prosecution and defence, neither of whom insisted on imprisonment.  The magistrate warned him that he had to be extra careful not to break the law again or he would have this jail term added on to the punishment of any further offences he was convicted of.

Lawyer David Bonello was defence counsel. Inspector Roderick Agius prosecuted.