22 months’ jail on cocaine possession after four conditional discharges

A 37-year-old man from Msida has been jailed for 22 months and fined €1,200 after pleading guilty to being in possession of seven sachets of cocaine with the intent to traffic, and to relapsing.

Vincent Cucciardi – whom the court heard was conditionally discharged four times and warned of his future conduct for several times – also admitted to committing the crime within 100 metres from a place frequented by minors, and to breaching a conditional discharge.

The case dates back to 10 July 2012 when Cucciardi was found in possession of seven sachets, or 20 grams of cocaine less than 100 metres away from a place frequented by minors.

After two years in court, the accused admitted to the charges on 22 January 2014. Despite Cucciardi’s admission, the court presided by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras insisted that the sentence should not be mitigated as the accused “wasted the court’s time and the police’s resources.”

Taking this into account, the magistrate jailed Cucciardi for 18 months and fined him €1,200 for being in possession of cocaine, relapsing, and for committing the crime less than 100 metres away from a place frequented by minors.

Moreover, the court handed Cucciardi an additional four-and-a-half-month imprisonment term for breaching a conditional discharge that was handed back in 2009.

The accused was also ordered to pay €2,600 in court fees.

Inspector Nikolai Sant prosecuted.