Pregnant woman granted bail over thefts

A heavily pregnant woman from St. Paul’s Bay and her partner have been charged with a long list of crimes.

Toni Borg, 36, and Sonia Mahouachi 24, both of St. Paul’s Bay, appeared in the dock before magistrate Neville Camilleri this morning, accused of theft of clothes from shops in Baystreet and St. Paul’s bay, electrical wiring from a construction site in Mellieha, empty gas cylinders from St. Julians and tools from a garage in Mellieha between 28 April and 5 July this year. 

Borg alone was also charged with stealing a jeep from St. Paul’s Bay, handling stolen goods and slightly injuring former police inspector Jonathan Ferris when the latter spotted him acting suspiciously. He was also accused of committing the offences during the operative period of a suspended sentence.

Both Borg, who told the court that he had been boarded out and Mahouachi, who is eight and a half months pregnant, pleaded not guilty.

Lawyer Franco Debono, defence counsel together with lawyer Amadeus Cachia, requested bail.

The prosecution, Inspectors Godwin Scerri and Leeroy Balzan Engerer, did not object to the woman’s bail request in view of her pregnancy, but stood firm with regards to Borg’s bail demand, saying that the man would “continue with his long career of thefts.”

Debono said Borg had needed a probation officer but had only been provided with one for a few months recently. “He needs bail supervision,” said the lawyer, arguing that the amounts stolen were “not great.” Even if the court refused bail he would still need supervision, submitted the lawyer.

Inspector Scerri pointed out that the stolen items included “an entire car”, which was “not a small thing.”

Magistrate Camilleri granted bail to the woman, releasing her from arrest against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000, ordering her to observe a curfew and sign a bail book twice a week. “If you need to break the curfew to go to the hospital because of the pregnancy, go to the hospital and inform the inspector later,” the magistrate said.

The court, however, denied bail to the man, saying it was not satisfied that he could or would adhere to bail conditions.