Five-year prison sentence confirmed for possession of cannabis

A five-year prison term was confirmed for 57-year-old Maria Farrugia, after the court threw out her appeal.

On 27 April 2012, Farrugia, who is almost completely blind, was found in possession of cannabis resin while visiting the Corradino Correctional Facility.

She was arraigned in court and pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs in prison and relapsing. The court sentenced the woman to three years imprisonment and converted a previous two-year suspended sentence into an effective term.

Farrugia filed an appeal from the five-year jail term claiming she had been excessively punished. The Court of Appeal heard how the 57-year-old is almost completely blind and is facing a multitude of social problems.

Justice Michael Mallia threw out the woman's appeal, stating the crime was committed during the term of a suspended sentence.

The judge explained the court had no alternative but to hand down a jail term as the woman was a relapser and could not be granted another suspended sentence or probational term.