Airport vandals handed suspended sentences

Two Czech men have been handed suspended sentences after they admitted to vandalising various objects at the Malta International Airport last night.

Martin Bohm and Jan Olt, 25 and 27 years old respectively, were arraigned after being arrested yesterday night at the airport, where they were waiting to catch a flight.

Inspector Darren Buhagiar accused the men of criminal damage, telling duty magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech that they had been seen on CCTV footage vandalising chairs, the facade, the food court, furniture and signage from the public area with permanent markers.

From the witness stand, MIA's head of security said that costs for repairing damage had not been conclusively established. Some of the damages were still being valued as cleaning efforts had failed so far.

The CCTV footage was not exhibited. The men filed a guilty plea.

Defence lawyer Josette Sultana, appointed as legal aid to the two accused men, told the court that the men were art students and were missing school as a result of their arrest. “They don't have money, they are art students. Detaining them here doesn't make any sense.”

The men told the court that they were art students and did odd jobs to make ends meet.

In view of their admission, the court found the men guilty and sentenced them to 15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 30 months.

“I would advise you, wherever you are going to be, especially in Malta, to conduct yourselves according to the law,” the magistrate admonished. “If you can't handle your drink, don't drink. You come to a country to enjoy it and not to cause damage to it.”

As no definite figure for the damages had been established, the court was unable to order the men to repay the costs.