Thief jailed for 40 months after late plea change

A man has been handed a 40 month prison sentence after pleading guilty to stealing from residences in 2012 and 2013, years after he was first charged.

Robert Galea, 36, had been charged with the aggravated theft of jewellery and other items from a home in Naxxar in June 2012. The stolen items were valued at over €5,000.

A year later, in November 2013, Galea had struck again,  this time breaking into offices at a construction site on the Vittoriosa Waterfront from which he stole items worth a total of €16,179.50.

Galea had also been charged with recidivism, due to his many previous convictions.
Although he initially denied the charges, Galea later changed his plea to an admission of guilt in May this year.

In view of his admission, and after taking into account the man's long criminal record, the serious nature of the crimes and the fact that he had filed his guilty plea at a very late stage in the proceedings, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech found Galea guilty, sentencing him to imprisonment for 40 months. He was also ordered to pay €1,962 in costs.

Inspector James Grech prosecuted.