Homeless man jailed on drug trafficking charges

A homeless 34-year-old man has been jailed for 23 months and fined €2,200 after he pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin and to possession of three illegal substances.

Michael Portelli who has previous convictions for possession of an unlicensed weapon, theft, fraud and drug possession, had admitted to having been in possession of heroin, cocaine and cannabis. He had also pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin.

Portelli was arrested near the Addolorata Cemetery on 6 February, where he had gone to consume the illegal substances. He had told officer that he would sell some heroin to afford more drugs.

In her considerations on punishment, magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras took the man's drug problem and his previous convictions into account. The court appealed to the Director of Prisons to give Portelli all the necessary treatment to address his drug addiction problems.

Inspector Gabriel Micallef prosecuted.