Homeless man conditionally discharged

A homeless man was this morning given a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to breaking a CCTV camera system at Dar Leopoldu.

Luke Bugeja, 27 who has no fixed address was conditionally discharged for a year, and ordered to pay Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem, the sum of €120 for damages caused to a CCTV system.

Bugeja, who informed the court that he was orphaned since he was three, lived in various institutions, and was recently kicked out of Dar Lepoldu in Gzira, which is run by Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem.

Magistrate Gabriella Vella, who presided, said that she had taken all facts into consideration in handing her judgment, and warned Bugeja to pay for the damages within four months.

Asking for permission to speak, Bugeja told the Court that the damage he caused to the CCTV camera was his reaction to something "much worse" which was done to him.

Magistrate Vella replied that should he have anything to report, he must do it through the Police who would investigate.