Community service for boy who admitted theft

(Article in the Times of malta, 15 November, 2005)

A 17-year-old boy was yesterday put on probation for three years and will be carrying out 100 hours of community service after he admitted to his involvement in stealing a woman's handbag - an act which he described as "folly".

Meanwhile, his 19-year-old friend was put on probation for 18 months after Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard that both young men had cooperated with their probation officer who recommended that a jail term would be detrimental.

The two teenagers, whose names are not being published as they were minors at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to stealing the bag containing electronic accessories and jewellery from Exiles, in Sliema, earlier on this year.

The 17-year-old also admitted to breaching a probation order for which he was fined Lm50.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.