Prostitute jailed for breaching peace, accomplice acquitted of knifepoint robbery on technicality

49-year-old Josephine Grixti and 25-year-old Clayton Fenech had been charged with several offences, including threatening and robbing a man, being in possession of a knife without a licence, handling stolen property and relapsing

A man who threatened and robbed a pedestrian in Gzira at knifepoint has been acquitted on a technicality, while his partner in crime, a 49-year-old prostitute, has been jailed for six months and fined €1,000 for loitering with intent and breaching the peace.

49-year-old Josephine Grixti and 25-year-old Clayton Fenech had been charged with threatening and robbing a man, being in possession of a knife without a licence, handling stolen property and relapsing. Grixti had additionally been accused of soliciting for the purpose of prostitution and breaching bail conditions. 

The court had been told how, on 21 July 2014, Robert Thomas Owen had been walking in Gzira on his way home when Grixti had allegedly called out to him, asking for a cigarette. As soon Owen complied, however, Fenech grabbed him and threatened him with a penknife before proceeding to rob him.

Inspector Carlos Cordina had told the court that the when making his report, Owen had immediately picked out Fenech from a series of photographs, saying that he was certain that Fenech had threatened and robbed him. 

A female police sergeant told the court how, some months later, she had seen Grixti in Marsa and arrested her and Fenech, adding that during the drive back to the police depot, Grixti had threatened to strip the policewoman of her uniform and tried to escape but was restrained by the officer.

Upon their arrival, Grixti had then proceeded to loudly proclaim that the WPS had “tried to touch her when she had been stationed in Valletta.” This was version of events was corroborated by another policewoman who had been assisting in the arrest, who also explained that Grixti had alleged to the inspector at the Valletta police station that the sergeant had made a pass at her when she had been stationed in Valletta.

The court was told how the woman had not cooperated with the police and refused to allow searches of her bag in addition to threatening the officers.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke noted that the victim had reported the event as occurring in Triq Sir Ugo Mifsud, Ta’ Xbiex, whilst the charges had listed some offences as taking place in Testaferrata Street, Gzira and that consequently all the charges dealing with the robbery had not been proven. As a result, Fenech was acquitted.

But as Grixti had also been charged with loitering in Ta Xbiex “and other areas,” she was subsequently found guilty of the related charges. She was also convicted of threatening a police officer in the performance of her duties, breaching the peace, blaspheming in public and relapsing.