Dino Marcello Miller, an ex-prisoner, was remanded in custody in Lleida yesterday after admitting to an attempted robbery at a Pardinyes supermarket last Friday. Miller, who had been released from prison just a month ago, told the court he had gone "several days without food" before the incident.

The judge at the Lleida Court of Instance, Section 2, ordered his provisional imprisonment without bail. This decision was based on his history of reoffending and his lack of family ties in the area, according to court documents.

Miller is accused of attempted robbery with violence, using a dangerous instrument. He allegedly threatened a supermarket worker with a fake pistol. He has returned to Ponent prison, despite warnings from prison reports about his high risk of reoffending when he was released on 16 April.

Police Monitored Ex-Prisoner

Following his release, the Lleida Public Prosecutor's Office requested control measures for Miller. The Mossos d'Esquadra and other police forces began non-invasive surveillance to respect his rights as a free citizen, officials said.

Just one month later, the Guàrdia Urbana arrested him in Balàfia, an hour after the attempted robbery at a supermarket on Baró de Maials street in Pardinyes. The incident occurred around 4pm when Miller entered the shop, approached the till, and pulled out what turned out to be a fake pistol. He fled without taking anything.

Mossos d'Esquadra officers reviewed CCTV footage and identified Miller as the assailant. He was later arrested by the Urbana police on Enric Pubill Lo Parrano street. Local residents told the Segre newspaper that police patrols had been seen in the vicinity in recent days, possibly as part of the surveillance measures.

Miller Cites Desperation

Alejandra Gabàs, Miller's court-appointed lawyer, told Segre that her client admitted the facts to the judge. He stated he had recently been released from prison, had no financial resources, and no family connections. He explained that he committed the robbery "out of desperation" and "after going several days without food". Miller also said he "did not want to harm anyone", referring to the supermarket worker, and that he "did not take any money or anything". After leaving Ponent prison, he had lived with friends for a few days but now had no stable home.

Miller informed his lawyer that he did not intend to appeal the order for his pre-trial detention. This decision considered his criminal record of reoffending and his lack of roots in the community. He will remain in prison until his trial.

Long Criminal History

Miller, 56, has a long history of robberies and murders. In 1998, he confessed to receiving €18,000 and 100 grams of cocaine to kill former Lleida police officer Josep Gilart in his Barcelona bar. Gilart died two years later after becoming tetraplegic. Miller also killed a police officer during a bank robbery and another man in a Barcelona pub.

He was sentenced to 64 years in prison, serving 22 years. He was released in late 2020, already considered a "high risk" individual. Four months later, on 23 April 2021, he was arrested for two violent armed assaults at supermarkets in the Zona Alta and Pardinyes areas. He served five more years and was released on 16 April this year. Under the Penal Code, Miller could face a sentence of more than three years for last Friday's events, which could be increased due to his reoffending and previous convictions for serious crimes.