Woman faces fresh fraud charges

Convicted fraudster Alexia Cross has been charged with stealing cheques and defrauding several people and shops out of nearly €3,300 in summer.

Ms Cross, 29, was remanded in custody only last week when she pleaded not guilty to stealing cheques from a shop in Qormi and then using one of them to rent a car.

Yesterday's charges were connected to crimes she allegedly committed in the same period.

Police investigations led them to uncover the full extent of her alleged spending spree: a total of €3,287 between last July and September to the detriment of four people and 16 outlets including a supermarket, a butcher's shop and a hotel.

She pleaded not guilty to stealing another two cheque books from a hotel in Msida and from an apartment in St Paul's Bay and of relapsing. To date, she has received three suspended jail terms and a three-year probation in 2007 for fraud.

In last week's arraignment, Ms Cross had pleaded with a court not to remand her in custody because she might be pregnant and being in prison was not an ideal situation for her. Police Inspector Angelo Gafà, however, told the court that it was just another one of her tall tales and that she could not be trusted.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri prosecuted yesterday. Lawyers Franco Debono and Charmaine Cherett appeared for Ms Cross.