Young men plead guilty to outboard motor thefts

A magistrate has warned two young men from Zabbar to change their path in life as he placed them on probation this afternoon for stealing outboard motors from moored boats.

Police Inspector Robert Said Sarreo arragined Willton Gatt, 19, and Aidon Degiorgio, 20, both from Żabbar and charged them with the theft of three outboard motors from boats moored at Birżebbuga on Monday night. The youths admitted to the thefts. 

The court was told that Degiorgio had recently lost his factory job, where he had been working for the past three years. Magistrate Carol Peralta called the man's sobbing parents to the bench to discuss the best way forward.

Degiorgio was placed under probation for three years, the court ordering his parents to inform it if their son started down the wrong path again. He ordered the man to avoid the company of Gatt, saying, “I do not want you seeing this man again because it is because of people like him that you started a life of crime.”

Gatt, who has previous convictions, also admitted to the charges and was also placed on probation for three years. 

"I am the type who will give you the rope, but it's up to you if you hang yourself with it," warned the magistrate.  “I am giving you a chance. Now it is up to you whether to take it or not. This is your opportunity to reform,” he told the man.

He informed both accused that he would be keeping tabs on his behaviour, as a probation officer would be sending him reports on their progress on a monthly basis.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Angie Muscat appeared for Degiorgio. Lawyer Matthew Bondin defended Gatt.