Fake healthcare worker jailed for third time after robbing elderly woman

Natalie Bonello, 45, of Marsaskala was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment by Magistrate Marseanne Farrugia, after she changed her not guilty plea to an admission.

Bonello had been arraigned last April, accused of pretending to be a health worker to gain access to the home of her elderly victim in February. She had then stolen jewellery. The court was told that Bonello had been jailed for similar crimes in the past.

In April, she had been jailed for 30 months over her involvement in a separate spate of burglaries and was jailed for an additional 18 months for robbing a number of elderly women using her healthcare worker ruse.

Assisted by lawyer Veronica Spiteri, Bonello admitted the charges against her, after being warned that they carried a maximum of 12 years’ imprisonment. Spiteri explained that the woman had a drug problem and was willing to submit to treatment for this while in prison.

In his submissions on punishment Inspector Jonathan Ransley informed the court that Bonello had cooperated with the police and had helped them solve six other pending cases.

The court, after hearing both sides’ arguments on what punishment to inflict, imposed a three-year custodial sentence on the woman.

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