Drug addict jailed for stealing 82 year-old's necklace

32-year-old Johann Xerri from Valletta has been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to having stolen a necklace from an 82-year-old woman.

The €600 necklace was stolen in broad daylight at around 11:30 in Vittoriosa.

Xerri, who is no stranger to the courts, admitted charges of aggravated theft and recidivism. Asked why he had relapsed into bad habits, the man replied that he had a drug problem and “needed to pay people.” The accused told the court that he had a job “up till last week” and was about to start a new job with a different employer.

Having weighed up the options, the court handed Xerri an 18-month prison sentence, saying it would be ordering the authorities to immediately place him on a drug rehabilitation programme. “You can't let yourself fall into your drug habit the moment you are out of prison,” chided the court.

Defence lawyer Charlon Gouder told presiding Magistrate Francesco Depasquale that the accused had not been helped by his previous stays in prison, asking that the accused not be placed back in the prison system after he completed his stint at rehab.

Inspector Josric Mifsud and Inspector Fabian Fleri prosecuted.