Single mother charged with arcade hold-ups

A single mother of two was denied bail yesterday after pleading not guilty to her involvement in a string of hold-ups on gaming arcades across Malta in April.

Chantelle Camilleri, 20, from Hamrun, is accused of taking part in four hold-ups and one attempted hold-up in which she allegedly held people at gunpoint.

She denied carrying out the armed robberies on April 4 at the gaming arcade Fairplay in San Gwann; on April 7 at Fairplay in Birkirkara; on April 17 at Ambassador in Qawra and on April 19 at Playline in Marsa. She also denied attempting a hold-up at Fairplay in Paola on April 21.

Ms Camilleri is the fourth person to be charged in connection with these armed robberies. Magistrate Michael Mallia denied her request for bail and she was remanded in custody.

Earlier this week, Bashir Abu Gasem Al Hariri, 35, and Martin Cassar, 29, both pleaded guilty to the robberies and were jailed for four years and six-and-a-half years respectively. Another man, Gilbert Busuttil, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him and was also remanded in custody.

Lawyers Giannella Caruana Curran, Gianluca Caruana Curran and Stephen Tonna Lowell appeared for the accused.