British inmate charged with injuring female warder

A British inmate who is currently in prison on charges of stealing a suitcase from the airport was today charged with grievously injuring a warder at the Corradino Correctional Facility.

The incident occurred on Saturday at about 3:00pm while the accused, Shannon Leigh Williams, was being searched by a female prison guard. A minor altercation is said to have ensued and the warder was injured.

Standing in court today, Williams, 20, of Portsmouth, pleaded not guilty to grievously injuring the warder and to violently assaulting, threatening the prison guard. She also denied threatening and resisting another warder.

Presiding Magistrate Ian Micallef told the accused that things seemed to be getting complicated for her in Malta, and told her that she needs medical help. Defence lawyer Noel Bianco requested that his client be transferred to another prison section, possiblty the forensic unit. The request is to be passed on to the director of prisons for consideration.

In June, Williams was charged in court after she allegedly stole a suitcase that belonged to a Maltese couple. The woman had been arrested in Xemxija after the owner owner of the stolen items noted that the accused was wearing clothing and carrying a handbag that had been in the stolen suitcase.

It is thought that Williams had gained access to the luggage collection area under the pretence of needing to pick up an item of her luggage which had been lost on her Ryanair flight to Malta in May.