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Man convicted, 14 years after refusing to pay TV set
Man handed two-year suspended sentence after refusing to pay for a television he purchased 14 years ago.
6 February 2014, 12:00am
Chris Mangion
Chris Mangion
1 min read
A costly TV licence for one television set owner...
Thomas Vella, 48 of Paola, was handed a two-year suspended sentence after refusing to pay for a television he purchased in 2001.
Vella was charged with defrauding Raymond Cutajar, the person who sold him the TV set. At the beginning of the case, the accused pleaded not guilty, however the defence counsel presented no evidence in the case.
Raymond Cutajar, his father Gaetano Cutajar, and their helper Kenneth Buttigieg testified that the accused had purchased a Grundig television from Cutajar. Months passed and Vella refused to pay for his purchase claiming the television was an inch smaller than what he had asked for.
Taking the witness stand, Vella denied buying a television set from Cutajar, but alleged he had bought a stereo which was faulty. The accused alleged the shopkeeper had taken so long to repair the stereo that he had to resort to the Consumer Affairs Unit.
The court ruled that three witnesses cannot all be wrong, especially after the helper himself testified he had personally loaded the television in Vella’s car.
Magistrate Miriam Hayman handed Vella a year’s jail term suspended for two years.
Inspector Saviour Baldacchino prosecuted.
Chris Mangion is MaltaToday’s photojournalist, joining the newspaper in 2013.
In 1995...
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BETTER FUTURE, wrong because FRAUD is also a criminal matter. Criminal matters being decided on the basis of "beyond reasoable doubt" and civil matters "on a baance of probabilities", Mr Cutajer now has a judgment which he can also use as proff in a civil case to claim his money including interest at the legal rate of 8% apart from all expenses.
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Brilliant piece of journalism...Title is so clever :S
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(1) What has the TV licence to do with this case?? (2) Disgusting sentence, because even if the guy did not pay, that would have been a civil matter not a criminal matter. (3) Again, even if he did not pay up, the sentence seems out of all proportion seeing so many fraudsters running about and splurging Oil commissions and getting zilch punishment, let alone returning stolen funds!!!
Maureen Attard •
U l-bejjiegh baqa b'xejn.. hehe... Only in Malta
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Sur Editur Ma nahsibx li dan it-titlu u korrett. Kif inhu tehodha li il-persuna koncernata wehel 14 il sena habs. Irrangawha jekk joghgobkom. Grazzi
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Man convicted 14 years after refusing to pay TV licence.
Man handed two-year suspended sentence after refusing to pay for a television he purchased 14 years ago.
These two titles are conflicting. Either refusing to pay TV licence or refusing to pay TV he purchased.
