Opportunistic thief who picked unconscious man's pockets gets suspended sentence

An opportunistic thief who stole a mobile phone from a passed-out reveller in Paceville has been warned that committing another offence in the next three years will earn him over a year in jail.

Labourer Akram Khalifa Kahrir, 33, from Libya, who resides at the Hal Far Open Centre, appeared in the dock before magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera this morning, accused of stealing a mobile phone from the pocket of a man who had been rendered unconscious by excessive drinking. The charge was rendered aggravated by the value of the item stolen.

Inspector Nikolai Sant explained that the crime had taken place in Paceville at around 5.00am on Sunday morning. Bouncers who had spotted Kahrir pilfering the device from the pockets of the unconscious man, had alerted the police, he said.

Kahrir, who said he enjoyed subsidiary protection in Malta, pleaded guilty to the charge.

Inspector Sant informed the court that the stolen phone had been recovered and returned to its rightful owner. The accused had expressed remorse for what he had done and fully cooperated with the police, he said.

In view of his plea, Kahrir was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years. “If the accused makes another mistake in these three years, the axe hanging above his head will fall,” the magistrate warned.

Lawyer Leontine Calleja was legal aid.