Criminal court grants bail to man charged over recent thefts from chapels

The Criminal Court has upheld a bail request filed on behalf of a man who was charged, last month, in connection with a series of thefts from chapels.

Construction worker Philip Agius, 38, had been arraigned late last month on charges of aggravated theft and attempted theft from the chapels in Ħaż-Żebbuġ and Siġġiewi, in which a chalice was stolen, together with cash.

Agius had been arrested during a joint operation involving the Major Crimes Unit and Qormi district police, in connection with the theft of items from the Sanctuary of the Sacred Heart in Żebbuġ and from the Chapel of St John the Baptist in Siġġiewi.

During his arraignment, the court was told that Agius, who is pleading not guilty to the charges, had later returned the stolen items, after feeling remorse for his actions. The man, who has a drug problem, did not return the stolen cash, however, as he had spent it on narcotics. 

His lawyer, Jason Grima, had filed a request for bail in the Criminal Court, as Agius had been remanded in custody.

In a decree handed down yesterday, Mr. Justice Aaron Bugeja, upheld the bail request, in view of the fact the stage reached in the proceedings against Agius, as well as the circumstances of the case. 

Agius was released from arrest against a €2,000 deposit and a personal guarantee of €8,000. The judge also placed the man under a curfew, and imposed a provisional supervision order in view of Agius’ problems with drug addiction.