Woman jailed after all rehab attempts failed

Amanda Camilleri, 27 of Tarxien was jailed for 11 months after she breached a probation order and in three years followed a life of crime, leading her to repeated convictions.

In March 2009, the accused together with another person, admitted to stealing appliances and other items from a residence in Swieqi, and to stealing two mobile phones from inside a vehicle in Paola. The court had conditionally discharged Camilleri, then a mother of three, and placed her under a two-year probation order. In June 2010 the probation order was extended to three years after she did not attend her scheduled appointments.

On 23 September 2010, Camilleri's probation officer Chantal Avellino, informed the court that the woman failed to keep in touch with her. Investigations revealed Camilleri had approached Sedqa Agency and moved to Dar l-Impenn with the aim of starting a drug rehab programme with Fondazzjoni OASI. The woman started the programme on 7 March 2011 but was thrown out ten days later. Camilleri also failed to attend court on 24 November 2013, because her summons was not delivered when officers failed to find her.

Mr Justice David Scicluna ruled that all attempts for Camilleri to become a member of the community had failed. "You were convicted of 15 charges of soliciting for prostitution in public places, various fraud-related offences and assaulting and slightly injuring another person. The aim of probation orders is to help offenders return to the righteous path, however in this case it has failed. The court is left with no option but to hand down an effective jail term," the judge said.

Camilleri was imprisoned for 11 months. The court called on the Prison Director to ensure the convicted woman follows a drug rehab programme and that the psychiatric treatment she is currently following is not interrupted.