Court shows mercy to mother who cashed falsified cheques to fund child's treatment abroad

A court has placed a 31-year-old mother on probation for three years and ordered her to refund €4,000 after finding her guilty of fraudulently cashing cheques to fund her child's treatment abroad.

The woman, whose name is subject to a ban on publication, admitted to stealing a cheque book and exchanging cheques for the amounts of €2,945 and €950 at a petrol station and a lotto booth.

She told the court that she had needed the money to fund her daughter's medical treatment in the UK.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud, presiding the court of magistrates, rebuked the accused, telling her that if she needed more funds that those provided by the state for treatment abroad, she should have applied for the assistance of dedicated organisations such as Malta Community Chest Fund or Puttinu Cares.

The court encouraged the accused to find work and stop relying on social services handouts. “Help yourself...don't expect the State to support you when you're just 31, healthy and can work.”

The petrol station and lotto booth owners were also rebuked, the court decrying the fact that they had tried to seek legal redress after their unauthorised cashing of cheques backfired on them.


In light of the circumstances of the case, the court said it was not of the opinion that a prison was fitting and for this reason, it placed the woman on probation for three years and ordered her to refund the €3,895 in monthly installments of €150.

The woman was defended by lawyer Lucio Sciriha, who volunteered to take the brief on after the woman said she could not afford a lawyer. Inspector Johann Fenech prosecuted.