Thief caught wearing contents of stolen suitcase, denied bail

A 19-year-old British woman accused of theft has been remanded in custody after she pleaded not guilty to stealing a suitcase from the airport luggage carousel.

Shannon-Leigh Williams, from Portsmouth, appeared before Magistrate Carol Peralta this morning, charged with having taken the suitcase, which was full of women’s clothes, from the arrivals luggage carousel.

Inspector Silvio Magro told magistrate Carol Peralta that the woman had been arrested in Xemxija after the owner of the stolen items noted that the accused was wearing clothing and carrying a handbag that had been in the stolen suitcase. Showed eight photographs of the stolen items, the woman claimed that she owned them.

It is thought that Williams had gained access to the luggage collection area under the pretence of needing to pick up an item of her luggage which had been lost on her Ryanair flight to Malta in May.

She claimed it to be a genuine mistake and refused to comply when asked to enter a plea. “I’m not going to answer you,” was her reply to the magistrate’s question.

Williams’ general behaviour in the courtroom was arrogant and loud, the woman at times shouting she had simply made a mistake. After being told to settle down several times, she was declared to be in contempt and fined €200.

After being refused bail, the woman broke down in tears, saying that she needed hospital treatment for a medical emergency. The magistrate assured her that arrangements would be made.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop was legal aid while lawyer Yanika Camilleri appeared in parte civile for the suitcase’s rightful owner.