Woman accused of robbing wheelchair user charged with breaching bail conditions

A woman accused of participating in the violent robbery of an elderly wheelchair user has been charged with breaching her bail conditions and remanded in custody in a highly charged sitting.

27-year-old Donna Borg had been on bail since being charged, together with two other men, in 2019 with assault and aggravated theft.

She was arraigned before magistrate Ian Farrugia this morning by inspector Lydon Zammit after allegedly failing to sign her bail book several times in the past year. Zammit told the court that he had spoken to the woman several times at his office, but she had persisted in not signing when she was supposed to.

In the meantime, she had changed her address several times and had recently informed the police that she was homeless, he said.

Borg told the court that her 6-year-old daughter was being taken care of by her deceased father’s partner and that she was on methadone.

The woman was left unrepresented during the sitting after the legal aid lawyer appointed to defend her informed the court that he had a conflict of interest as he was appearing as the legal aid lawyer to her estranged mother in another case.

After the court heard him explain in further detail, the court said it was satisfied with the reasons and immediately exempted the lawyer from continuing to assist the accused.

While waiting for another lawyer to be contacted, the magistrate told the woman that there was a 6-month minimum sentence for the charges she faced and told her she would have to enter a plea today.

“You need help,” said the magistrate, about her drug dependency problems, “and you will not do it alone.”

The woman tearfully begged not to be sent to prison, confirming that she would not plead guilty today.

She then asked for bail but then suddenly reversed her position and said that she wanted to be sentenced today.

The magistrate refused her unassisted guilty plea, saying he knew what would happen if he accepted it. Her case would then be taken up by a lawyer, and the magistrate would be accused of breaching her human rights, he said. The woman tried to convince the magistrate otherwise, but his mind was made up.

Bail was refused. 

Magistrate Farrugia advised the woman to continue to build up her life again and work on her anger.

The court drew the attention of the director at the Corradino Correctional Facility, asking him to “carefully note the actual situation of the accused” until she is given bail.

“Speak to your lawyer immediately, calm down, lose your anger and listen to those who want the best for you. You cannot overcome your social problems alone. You need to accept help,” said the magistrate.