Woman was locked in room with dogs for 17 hours a day, court told

A policewoman has described being unable to enter the Birzebbugia home of Anna Maria Jimenez, so repulsive was the smell of dog excrement inside it.

PC Sherona Buhagiar gave her testimony as magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard the compilation of evidence against Jimenez, a 33-year-old Maltese cleaner at Mater Dei Hospital.

Jimenez is pleading not guilty to unlawfully imprisoning a 39-year-old woman with an intellectual disability and with threatening, assaulting and causing her slight injuries. The victim was allegedly locked in a room which she shared with two dogs for hours on end, assembling Playmobil figures for which Jimenez would be paid, for a staggering 9 years.

PC Buhagiar had been tasked with accompanying a prisoner as she picked up some clothes from her Birzebbugia home, after Jimenez had been denied bail in September.

The officer told the court that she had been unable to follow the woman inside, however. Jimenez had warned her not to follow her indoors because of the overwhelming stench.

PC Buhagiar had gamely accompanied the woman inside, but it was only when Jimenez had gone to gather some clothes from the room where the victim had allegedly been locked up for up to 17 hours a day with two dogs and a bucket for her needs, did the officer fully appreciate the reason behind the warning.

“I was about to follow her in but the stench of dog faeces was so strong that I couldn’t bear being there.” Buhagiar told the magistrate. She had noticed a bag of assorted Playmobil parts in the woman's bedroom, added the witness.

The accused had collected her clothes in a garbage bag, which was then placed in the police car.

“Even then, the stench was so strong that it was unbearable,” recalled the witness.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Joseph Busuttil and Sylvana Briffa are prosecuting. Lawyers Joe Giglio and Mario Spiteri are defence counsel.