19-year-old sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempted theft and damage of property

A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to two and half years in prison and fined €5,000 for attempting to steal two mobile phones and damaging a property in St Julian’s

File photo
File photo

A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to two and half years in prison and fined €5,000 for attempting to steal two mobile phones and assaulting three police officers in St Julian’s last January.

Sayfedine Bonavia was also charged with not wearing a mask and recidivism.

Despite his admission, the court presided over by Magistrate Nadine Lia, said she could not find him guilty of two charges linked to recidivism since his only previous sentence was a probation order.

However, the court upheld all the other charges.

In her ruling, the magistrate said that while the accused regretted what he had done, he did not pay for the damage caused. She expressed her concern for the youth, saying his life had only just begun and did not want to see him ruin it before it starts. 

She said that although he had some difficulties in his upbringing, this did not justify the criminal and delinquent path he embarked on. She stressed that it is important for him to take responsibility for his actions and change his attitude.

In its judgment, the court said that while it wanted to see the accused reform himself, it had to find a balance between the gravity of the case and the protection of society at large.

He was sentenced to two and half years in prison and fined €5,000. The magistrate also issued a treatment order for the accused. Lia also issued a protection order in favour of the three police officers.