Childcare worker charged with bomb threat prank call

A 28-year-old childcare worker was charged on Wednesday with allegedly lodging a false bomb threat by way of a prank call made to a Zebbug childcare centre.

She pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against her, including the simulation of an offence, the spreading of false news as well as the improper use of telephone communications.

Inspector James Mallia noted that on 2 December 2024, the Police had received information regarding numerous bomb threats around Malta which had been sent by email.

He further recalled that during the morning, he received information about another threat targeting a childcare centre in Zebbug. This threat, dissimilarly to the other threats disseminated by email, had been made by way of a telephone call.

The Inspector recalled that upon arriving at the centre merely four minutes after departing Valletta, he ordered the evacuation of the premises. However, merely some minutes later, he was informed by an infuriated constable that the whole ordeal had been nothing more than a ‘joke’.

The accused then approached the inspector, claiming that it was a joke and that ‘she had no idea it would go so far’. She was subsequently placed under arrest.

Responding to questions posed by defence lawyer Franco Debono, Mallia agreed that the accused was cooperative and that her call was nothing more than a prank.

Inspectors James Mallia and Zachary Zammit prosecuted.

Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Adreana Zammit represented the accused.