Suspended sentence for drug user

Rodrick Muscat, 26 of Tarxien, was handed a suspended jail term after pleading guilty to drug possession and relapsing, with Magistrate Galea Sciberras stating that a jail term is not the right punishment in this case.

Inspector Victor Aquilina said police apprehended Muscat on 14 July 2012 and a piece of Cannabis resin was found in his possession. The prosecution underlined that Aquilina relapsed and committed an offence during the term of a suspended sentence.

Muscat pleaded guilty as charged.

Considering the amount of drugs found was minimal, and that the accused had admitted during the early stages of the proceedings, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras held an effective jail term should not be imposed but the accused should remain under an order of supervision for the next 12 months

She fined the accused €850 and ordered that the four-year suspended sentence handed to Muscat in 2010, will re-commence from today.

Inspector Victor Aquilina prosecuted while lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused.