Impoverished father of seven accused of stealing €35,000 worth of tools

A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with stealing some €35,000 worth of industrial tools from a construction site.

Joseph Galea, 31, from Siggiewi was accused of the aggravated theft of the tools before magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace this morning.

Inspector Kurt Zahra also charged Galea, a refuse collector, with criminal damage and driving a scooter without a licence.

Galea pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Mario Mifsud, requested bail. He explained that the man was part of the hidden poverty problem in Malta. Galea has seven children and not much work, said the lawyer.

“He’s just left prison, has all those children and can’t afford to lose his job. This is a genuine case, your honour,” said the lawyer, explaining that he has been following his case for a long time and some days would end up buying milk for the man’s children together with the social worker.

Inspector Zahra objected to bail, pointing out that there were civilian witnesses yet to testify and that the man was already out on several bails.

The court rejected the request for bail.