22 years of drugs abuse, woman jailed for stealing to support habit

A very thin and weak Marica Muscat, 39 of Bormla shocked Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna this afternoon, as she pleaded for clemency when admitting to stealing five car stereos over the past weeks.

She admitted to all the charges, which included relapsing and breach of bail, and claimed through her legal aid lawyer Patrick Valentino that she has been abusing heroin for the past 22 years, has been in and out of jail, the last time spending a straight eighteen months.

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna jailed Muscat for eight months, but recommended that she be held at Mount Carmel Hospital's Forensic Unit under the prison regime.

The Magistrate added that Muscat be given all the treatment necessary to address her acute drug problem.

Barely capable of keeping herself straight, the woman who was dressed in a green t-shirt and dirty jeans, raised her hand to ask if she could appeal the jail term.

She insisted to sign the note of appeal, and argued with her lawyer who advised her not to.

While the effective jail term was temporarily suspended until an appeal is filed, the woman was remanded in custody just the same, as her admission to breach of bail conditions automatically remands her into custody.