Qormi woman granted bail after alleged assault on officers at Mater Dei
Shanaia Taliana, 24, was released on bail after being charged with assaulting police and security officers at Mater Dei Hospital on 7 October. Her defence argued her criminal record stemmed from offences committed as a minor.
Bail granted after hospital altercation involving police and security officers
A 24-year-old woman from Qormi has been released on bail following charges of assaulting police and security officers at Mater Dei Hospital, maltatoday.com.mt reports.
Shanaia Taliana had sought medical treatment at the hospital on 7 October after experiencing chest pain linked to cocaine consumption. While receiving care, she attempted to leave the premises to smoke a cigarette but was stopped by hospital staff.
An altercation followed, during which Taliana allegedly became involved in a physical confrontation with two police officers and two security officers. All four sustained slight injuries.
Taliana pleaded not guilty to a series of charges, including assaulting and violently resisting police officers in the execution of their duties, causing slight injuries, disobeying and obstructing officers, insulting or threatening officers, disturbing the public peace, and using obscene language in public.
At her initial arraignment before Magistrate Ingrid Bianco, Taliana became visibly distressed and pleaded not to be sent to prison, expressing concern that her condition would worsen in custody. Magistrate Bianco nonetheless remanded her in custody at that stage.
During the first sitting in the compilation of evidence, however, bail was granted pending the continuation of criminal proceedings.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Charlon Borg, had objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and Taliana's criminal record. Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud countered that the gravity of the offences alone was insufficient to justify continued detention, noting that all entries on her criminal record related to offences committed whilst she was a minor.
The court granted bail against a €100 deposit and a €4,900 personal guarantee. Taliana was also ordered to sign the bail book daily and observe a curfew between 6pm and 8am.
Magistrate Ann Marie Thake is presiding over the case.
Source: Times of Malta