Man who breached bail to look for girlfriend’s mobile granted bail again

A man has been granted bail despite breaching the conditions of a previous release from arrest, on account of progress he was making in getting back on the right track

A man who claimed to have breached his bail conditions in order to help his girlfriend find her lost mobile phone, was once again released on bail today while the court confirms claims that the man had successfully completed a drug rehabilitation programme.

Wayne Delia, 31, of Paola was arrested after police found him in Marsa at 1.30am on Monday – a technical breach of bail conditions imposed on him after he had been previously charged with committing a hold-up in 2015.

In the years before that, Delia had been jailed for theft on more than one occasion.

Inspector Joseph Mercieca charged the man with breaching bail and relapsing.

But Delia's defence counsel, lawyer Noel Bartolo, entered a not guilty plea, explaining that the man had left his residence solely to help his girlfriend recover her lost mobile phone.

“The facts are what they are, but the accused said his girlfriend had lost her mobile and it was traced to Marsa,” the lawyer told the Court.

He said Delia had completed a drug rehabilitation programme and was certified drug-free,

“And he has failed to sign his bail book only twice.”

The accused, who said he had called the police station afterwards to let them know what happened, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras ordered that a representative of inmate resettling organisation Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl be summoned to testify as to the man's rehabilitation effort.

“I don't want to shackle any progress you're making... but don't force my hand,” she warned the accused as she granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €5000.

The Court also confirmed the previous bail conditions imposed on Delia, having him sign a bail book every day and ordering him to observe a curfew.