Burglar's getaway driver jailed for eight months

A 47-year-old man from Burmarrad, who was arrested behind the wheel of a burglar's getaway car, has been jailed for eight months.

Francis Formosa had been accused of complicity in a July 2014 burglary of a house in Mellieha, as well as breaching bail conditions.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli had been told that the police had received a phone call, tipping them off about two men acting suspiciously in a car on Triq il-Qortin.

Two officers from the police Rapid Intervention Unit had been dispatched and recognised the car. A search of the accused, who was still inside the car, did not turn up anything.

However, the passenger, Josef Buttigieg, had fled on foot and had been spotted jumping over a wall while discarding a bag. The bag was recovered by the officers and found to contain jewellery.

Buttigieg, 37, from Birkirkara had admitted to the crime and was later jailed for two years. Buttigieg had told the court that he had gone to steal from the Mellieha residence and that Formosa had not been aware of his plans.

Formosa insisted that he had gone to Mellieha in a car driven by Buttigieg because he needed to pay his landlord.

Magistrate Demicoli said the accused's explanation was hard to believe, not least because Buttigieg had testified that it had been Formosa who had given him a lift and that it had been Formosa who had been found in the driver's seat, but also because Formosa had told the police that he had been relieving himself against a tree near the burglarized house – which was found not to have happened.

Formosa was convicted of complicity in theft and handed an eight-month sentence.

Inspector Maucie Curmi and Inspector Arthur Mercieca prosecuted.