Woman fined for assaulting officers at police station

A woman who assaulted police officers when she was asked to wait outisde the Msida police station after accompanying somebody who was called in for questioning has been fined €4,000.

Maria Farrugia was arrested after a disturbance at the Msida police station, when she had gone together with her partner to accompany a third party who had been called in for questioning.

On Tuesday, Farrugia, whose age and place of residence cannot be published by court order, pleaded guilty to charges that she assaulted police officers.

Farrugia had been asked to wait outside the police station since the case did not concern her. It was at this point that the woman assaulted two police officers. A male officer suffered scratches to his neck and the female officer received a blow above her eye. Both were certified as having suffered slight injuries.

Farrugia was charged with assaulting police officers, violently resisting arrest, slightly injuring the officers, failing to obey legitimate orders, insulting and threatening police officers, using obscene language in public and breaching the peace.

Defence lawyer Alfred Abela asked to be allowed to approach the bench, where the representatives of the parties proceeded to discuss the case out of earshot.

Shortly afterwards, he informed the court the accused was pleading guilty to the charges.

Police inspector Lara Butters told the court the accused had collaborated with the police investigation into the incident and that the injuries suffered by the victims were minimal in nature.

In view of her collaboration and early admission, the fact that Farrugia had no criminal record and the minimal injuries, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera fined the woman €4,000, allowing her to pay the fine in monthly installments of €120 per month, warning that one missed payment would render the entire amount due.