Portes des Bombes vandal handed suspended sentence and €6,000 fine

A man who sprayed graffiti on the Portes des Bombes in Floriana has been fined €6,000 and ordered to pay the costs of removing it, together with a suspended prison sentence.

Msida resident Ionut Cezar Marin, 42, from Romania, pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally damaging cultural property during his arraignment in front of Magistrate Lara Lanfranco on Tuesday.

The prosecution and defence agreed that a prison sentence ought not be imposed in the circumstances, but disagreed on the issue of whether or not a fine is to be imposed.

The prosecution insisted on a fine, in view of the cultural value of the property that was vandalised.

The court sentenced the man to imprisonment for two years, suspended for four years and a €6,000 fine, payable in monthly instalments over a period of three years. He was also ordered to pay the €790 cleaning bill.

Prosecutor Godwin Cini from the Office of the Attorney General assisted police inspectors Christine Delia, Daryl Borg and Kurt Farrugia.

Lawyer Roberto Spiteri was defence counsel.