The man who last month pleaded guilty in a case relating to a yacht seized in Ocean Village has been sentenced to unpaid work.

69 year old John Spiro Azzopardi pleaded guilty to concealing the identity of the owner of 11.5 metre luxury vessel ‘Sunrays’.

At the Supreme Court sentencing John Spiro Azzopardi was handed a 280 hour unpaid work order, to be completed within a year.

The court heard his probation officer deemed him a ‘medium risk’ of re-offending.

Puisne Judge Liam Yeats said: “Concealing the true ownership of high value items such as cars and boats is a common form of money laundering. It enables criminals to benefit from their criminal conduct whilst making the seizure of assets more difficult for law enforcement.”

The Judge said, “those who assist criminals in this way, must know there are serious consequences […] even if they are close family members.”

The vessel, Sunrays, said to have been purchased for €60,000 in 2018, has also been forfeited by the Crown.

https://www.gbc.gi/news/280-hours-unpaid-work-man-money-laundering-case-linked-yacht