Convicted murderer found guilty of heroin possession

A convicted murderer currently serving a life sentence at Corradino Corrective Facility has been found guilty of being in possession of heroin in prison in 2007.

Andy Calleja, 34, faced charges after a 2007 inspection of his cell yielded the drugs, contained within a plastic bag hidden in a box of cigarette filters.

Calleja had confessed to murdering policeman Roger Debattista during a bank robbery in 2001 and was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in 2005.

The Magistrate accepted the version of events offered by the prison officials with regard to the acccused’s drug possession, but held that “there is absolutely no proof to demonstrate that the accused smuggled drugs into prison”.

In her judgment, Magistrate Natasha Sciberras noted the accused’s voluminous criminal record, which, aside from the homicide for which he is serving a life sentence, includes convictions for two other aggravated thefts, corruption of minors, causing voluntary damage to third parties, illegal possession of psychotropic medication and of cannabis.

The Magistrate also found Calleja guilty of the third charge, of recidivism, and sentenced him for the two guilty counts to a further 10 months in prison.