Former prostitute is 'disease free'

A former prostitute took a blood test to prove to three police officers she was disease free after having bitten and scratched them in a violent outburst over a parking ticket.

Antoinette Rizzo, 59, yesterday pleaded guilty to slightly injuring the officers, threatening them and breaching the peace in an incident outside the bargain shop Conimex in Żabbar on March 10.

On that day, traffic policeman Anthony Axiaq was booking her for parking on a double yellow line when she stormed out of the shop screaming at him at the top of her voice. Turning violent, she scratched his face and then bit two other officers, WPC Diane Galea and PC Mario Muscat, who had been called as back-up.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri testified during her arraignment a few hours later that she had told him "if the same officer gives her another ticket her brakes might not work the next time she meets him".

He expressed concern for the safety of the officers as they might have been exposed to disease, especially since her criminal record included prostitution-related convictions.

Ms Rizzo, with 48 convictions on her record dating back 30 years, including for attacking police officers, filed a not-guilty plea and was granted bail by duty Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera.

After the arraignment, she voluntarily took a blood test which proved negative, avoiding the possibility of more serious charges being levelled against her.

She reversed her not-guilty plea yesterday and admitted the charges. Presiding Magistrate Saviour Demicoli imposed a one-year jail term suspended for three years and fined her €500. She has also pledged a €233 guarantee not to approach the officers involved.

Lawyer Shazoo Ghaznavi was defence counsel.