Emanuel Balzan, 32, better known by his stage name Tristan B, this morning pleaded not guilty to defrauding his British neighbour of €4,322.

The case is alleged to have taken place over a week between November and December this year.

Police Inspector Maurice Curmi said in court that Mr Balzan had asked his neighbour to lend him money for various reasons including to pay for an electrician and to pay an amount to the VAT department.

The woman realised that she had been defrauded and filed a police report, the inspector said.

Defence counsel Peter Paul Zammit asked the court to grant the accused bail since he is an entertainer and has to fulfil contracts.

Inspector Curmi said the accused should be remanded in custody as the two are neighbours and live in the same block. Furthermore, when he had asked Mr Balzan to go to the police station, he had gone straight to his neighbour to to try to get her to retract the report.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano granted him bail against a deposit of €2,000 and a personal guarantee of €2,000

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