Pregnant woman jailed for breaching bail

A weeping Donna Camilleri, 26 of Sta. Lucija was escorted to Corradino Prisons, and later to Mount Carmel Hospital, after she was handed a three month jail term by Magistrate Neville Camilleri, as she admitted to having breached bail conditions imposed on her just 24 hours before by another Magistrate, where she was charged with complicity to theft.

Camilleri, who is expected to give birth in two weeks time was arrested by Vice Squad officers in Gzira at 11:55pm yesterday, when he bail conditions included she be indoors by 6pm.

Despite hearing prosecuting Inspector Jason Sultana claim that it was difficult for him to recommend jail time for the woman, "who has a serious drug problem, and is hanging around with unpleasant characters," Magistrate Neville Camilleri said that he was imposing a jail term, not only for the reason that the law is clear on breach of bail, but because it was "high time" for Camilleri to understand that "Court was not a joke" and that she couldn't use her pregnancy as an excuse anymore to get off with lenient sentences.

In his judgment Magistrate Camilleri ordered that the woman be kept at Mount Carmel Hospital, and be given all the assistance needed when the time comes for her to give birth.

During submissions, it was explained that another sister to the accused was ready to give up her place at a half way house so that her sister could be given the rehabilitation she needed to get off her serious heroin addiction and to be able to mother her baby.

Camilleri had in fact got off with a suspended sentence last August for having found her guilty of going off on a spending spree with a credit card belonging to lawyer Katja Psaila Savona, and was charged for relapsing last Tuesday, together with her other pregnant sister Amanda, and 34 year-old Brian Pace for having committed the theft of €1,800 in cash from Gauci Borda & Sons showroom in Gzira in broad daylight last Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's theft was recorded by a witness on a mobile phone, who also followed the alleged perpetrators, handing over the glaring evidence to the police, who immediately Donna and Amanda Camilleri, and Brian Pace.

When arrested, Pace told the police that he was in serious financial difficulty after allegedly buying five grammes of cocaine worth €400, which he borrowed from a loan shark who was now asking for €20,000.

Assisted by lawyer Anglu Farrugia, Pace entered a guilty plea, but soon after retracted the plea after the Magistrate said that she could not grant the accused a suspended sentence, given his already "colourful criminal record."

All three were later granted bail against a personal guarantee of €3,000 each, and ordered to be home by not later than 6pm. They were also ordered to sign daily at a police station close to where they live.