Ukranian recalls her 2015 arrest for refusing to close pram on bus

A court has heard a Ukranian woman, who is accused of assaulting a policewoman who was dragging her off a bus, explain that she had been scared of being separated from her children.

Polina Gutshabes and her son had boarded a bus to St Paul’s Bay from Sliema during the afternoon of Sunday 9 August 2015. After picking them up, the driver had asked the Ukranian to close her pushchair to allow space for more people, as his route was a busy one. But when the woman had informed him that her son was asleep inside it and the pushchair could not be closed, the driver allegedly ordered her to get off the bus and refused to refund the fares paid.

The woman allegedly insulted the driver in English.

The driver reportedly then hopped off the bus, running to a nearby police station seeking assistance. Two officers duly asked the woman to disembark but she had maintained her refusal, requiring the officers - assisted by a female colleague - to forcefully remove the struggling woman from the bus, while her children looked on.

Police inspector Elton Taliana had charged Gutshabes with assaulting and resisting the police, threatening them, disobeying their orders and disturbing the public peace.

Cross-examining the defendant this afternoon, the inspector asked whether she had kicked the officer in the chest. “I don't know, I was just trying to save my kids,” Gutshabes said. The defendant was unable to recall telling the officer that she was "going to kill her," but admitted to saying she had called the officer a "bitch." “I don't remember what happened. I sort of blanked out. I only remember what happened on the pavement. I hit my head ... and then I was lifted...

“I remember I was screaming that I don't want to leave my kids,” she said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She acknowledged that it was possible that she had kicked the WPC in the chest.

Inspector Taliana admonished her, suggesting that she could have avoided the incident by remaining civil.

Lawyer Stephen Tonna Lowell asked her why she had described herself as hysterical in previous court sittings. “I was scared that I wouldn't see my kids again.”

Asked when was the next time that she had seen them, she replied that it happened some time later, “when I was in the cage”...”So your kids saw you when you were in the lock up?” the lawyer asked. The reply came back in the affirmative. “No further questions,” the lawyer, barely able to hide his disgust.

She denied giving several versions, explaining that she had asked to change her statement because the translation was not correct. “I said my English is not that good...if you are not a native speaker you can have difficulty with the words.”

Tonna Lowell informed the court that the defence might be able to trace a passenger who had been on the bus and summon them to give evidence in a future sitting.

The case continues in November.