Teenager with criminal history sent to juvenile prison for restaurant theft

An 18-year-old with a substantial conviction history was sentenced to spend time at the young offenders' facility in Imtahleb, after he was found guilty of having broken into a restaurant overnight and stealing from it.

Ibrahim Micallef, from St Paul’s bay, was accused of the theft of three television sets and alcoholic beverages from Quattro Fratelli Restaurant in St Paul’s Bay, on 18 March.

He was also accused of having, on the same date, caused damage not exceeding the amount of €1164.69 to the material property of Bodesr Ltd., and of having committed such alleged crimes during the probationary operative period.

Micallef pleaded not guilty to the accusations.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Joe Mifsud, heard how Micallef, despite still being a teenager, had quite a long conviction sheet and had recently been found guilty of a similar crime. 

The accused’s mother, who is foreign and is awaiting a visa to be allowed to stay in Malta and was present in the courtroom, appeared considerably distressed, and told the court that her son had “suffered a lot in his life.”

The Court advised the mother that she was responsible for the accused, since he was her child, and that discipline had to start at home.

“There is a lot of lack of discipline in this country,” the Court said, “If the accused has a problem – which is apparent from his history of convictions – he needs to solve it and live the normal life of a citizen in Malta. In my sentence, I will be considering his best interests too.”

The mother, who later became increasingly upset, was subsequently asked to leave the courtroom.

The accused told the court that he needed “help”, and when asked to specify, he said he required medical treatment for a heart condition, as well as psychological support.

The Court, taking into consideration the young man’s age, decided to not send him to prison, but to keep him under arrest for an unspecified period at the young offenders' facility, where he could be given the assistance needed to get on the straight and narrow.

“Other young people have gone to the Imtahleb juvenile facility, and they are now set on the right path,” the Court said, as it told the teenager that he was still young and could change his ways.

The Court issued a treatment order for Micallef to receive the necessary medical and psychological treatment, with the young man appearing grateful.