Tunisia jail-breaker back in prison for banknote falsification

Thomas Camilleri, 23 of Gzira, has been jailed for 42 months after admitting to having circulated false euro bank notes.

Camilleri had escaped a Tunisian jail at the height of the North African country's revolution in 2011, as chaos permitted inmates of several prisons to escape.

Camilleri was also found to be in possession of a firearm, according to police inspector Ian Abdilla, as well as using false €20 and €50 bank notes in a number of shops since November 2011.

Camilleri declared to have a serious drug problem and was remanded to Corradino prison and ordered to undergo a rehab programme.

Magistrate Franco Depasquale told Camilleri that he was being given a chance to change his life.

Meanwhile, Edward Schembri, 29 of Sliema, pleaded not guilty to the same charges as his accomplice. He was remanded in custody.

Thomas Camilleri and Glenn Paul Xuereb of San Gwann, were arrested on 14 July, 2010 after two Libyan accomplices were caught and gave away their Maltese conspirators.

Camilleri and Xuereb - who are both sons of PL councillors on Gzira and San Gwann respectively - were charged in a Tunisian court. Although they registered a 'not guilty' plea, if found guilty they faced a maximum of 30 years in a Tunisian jail.

They fled from Mornaguia Prison near Sousse when their jail was destroyed in the revolt that toppled Tunisian dictator Zine Ben Ali, only to find themselves caught up in the new violent protests, this time calling for the ouster of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The two were arrested on 22 February, 2011 at the airport after they made it to the Maltese embassy and managed to get onto a flight amid the chaos in Tripoli.

The two men had reportedly timed their trip to coincide with the performance by popular Maltese DJ in Gammarth, Tunisia.