Father of stabbing victim admits to stealing from Carmelite friars

Silvio Pace, father of Brandon Pace who was stabbed to death in Hamrun last month, has pleaded guilty to charges of theft from a religious order.

Pace, 48, had initially denied accusations of stealing some €4,000 from an apartment in Xemxija. which is used by Carmelite friars who run the church in Xemxija. This morning, however, he asked to change his plea to an admission.

During his arraignment earlier this month, one of the friars had told magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona how, at around 7.30am on the morning of 25 March, he had spotted a man stepping over the railing on a verandah overlooking the street. The verandah is connected the bedroom of the flat from which the money was stolen.

When the man realised he had been seen, he had pulled up his hood and fled. Pace was identified in court by the eyewitness.

In view of his guilty plea this morning, the court condemned Pace to one year in prison, suspending his sentence for two years. Pace was also ordered to return the stolen amount.

Inspector Nicholas Vella prosecuted.

Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.