Career criminal has theft sentence reduced on appeal

A notorious career criminal has had his prison sentence cut by six months after a successful appeal.

30 year-old Daniel Lanzon from St. Julians had been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in 2012 after he was found guilty of a 2009 theft of €430 from the Cottonera Sports Pavilion, criminal damage and recidivism. He was arrested after Police Inspector  Spridione Zammit had recognised Lanzon from CCTV footage.

However Lanzon had appealed the sentence, contending that he had only admitted to stealing €300 and that the victim had not even confirmed the sum stolen.

Additionally, Lanzon argued that the sentence was excessive, in view of the fact that he has been confirmed as mentally ill, for which he is receiving treatment.

Judge David Scicluna, presiding over the Court of Criminal Appeal, noted that Lanzon had previously experienced police interrogations and held that there was nothing to prove that his statement had not been made under duress. In addition to this was the fact that the manager of the Cottonera Sports Pavilion had told police that between €300 and €400 had been found missing from his cash drawer.

The court held that there was no evidence to prove that €430 had been stolen and reduced the man’s sentence to 12 months, ordering that he continue to be treated at Mount Carmel Hospital during this time.

Lanzon, who has a colourful criminal record, had also been handed a 10-year sentence in 2012 after he admitted to the attempted murder of a 76-year old woman during a burglary in 2003 during which he had forced his way into her home, tied the woman up, beating her with a broomstick before trying to strangle her.