Man remanded in custody for hold-up on 81-year old

Libyan national, Gakob Nori, was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to robbing an elderly man in St Paul’s Bay in December 2012.

The 38-year old, who resides at Mosta was accused of detaining 81-year old Agostino Bartolo against his will, aggravated theft, threatening the elderly victim, carrying an unlicensed weapon, committing a crime while on bail and relapsing.

The robbery took place in the afternoon of 7 December 2012, when the victim was walking along Triq il-Pwales. The accused approached him, threatened him with a knife and stole the money he carried.

In May 2009, Nori had been charged with stealing a pouch containing €2,640 and personal documents from a certain Carmel Botterill in Mosta. However he was granted bail. Three years later, in 2012, the accused committed a hold-up. In the same year he was charged with breaching bail. However he was only charged with the hold up today, after officers concluded their investigations.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri remanded the accused in custody.

Inspectors Carlos Cordina and Joseph Busuttil, prosecuted.