Three charged with attacking police in St Julian’s

Three people have been charged in court after allegedly carrying out acts of aggression on police officers. 

In one arraignment, Erin Portelli, 18 from St Paul’s Bay and Kelsey Pisani, 20, from Siggiewi were charged with threatening and attacking a police officer at St George’s Bay in St Julian’s at around 2am yesterday morning, when the officer had gone to enforce a social distancing measure.

The pair were also accused of breaching COVID-19 legislation by being in a group of six persons.

Police officers had gone to speak to the group, at which point Portelli had started to insult the police and was arrested. Pisani was arrested later, after causing a scene at the police station. 

The two accused pleaded guilty and were fined €900 each as well as being conditionally discharged. Portelli was conditionally discharged for eight months, and Pisani for six months.

Lawyer Leontine Calleja was legal aid

In a separate arraignment, a 48-year-old Pembroke resident was charged with violently resisting police officers, slightly injuring one officer, at the St Julian’s police station on 1 May. Teresa Lucy Sciriha was also accused of breaching the public peace.

She had gone to the police station to file a report but was visibly drunk and told to return when she had sobered up. Sciriha had then accused the police of siding with the other party, becoming violent and needed to be restrained.

The British national pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. The court appointed a probation officer. Inspector Joseph Xerri prosecuted both cases.