Prison 'queen' convicted of drug trafficking
Former prison inmate Josette Bickle has been convicted by a jury of drug possession and trafficking at the prisons between 2006 and 2008.
The jury returned an 8-1 verdict after some three hours of deliberation.
The trial started on Monday, with the court hearing how Bickle lived 'like a queen' and had practically free rein at the prisons. Fellow inmates claimed they were treated as her 'slaves' and warders were afraid of her.
The court was also told that Bickle amassed a quantity of items as payment for drugs, including four televisions sets and a sound surround system. Money given to the prisoners for their work was also diverted to her.
Sentence is expected tomorrow.
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j brincat
Dec 16th 2011, 12:12
Did anyone resign yet?
(jb)
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Dec 16th 2011, 09:38
I sure as hell hope that she will be solitary confined. She has proved beyond any shadow of doubt that she cannot be trusted - not even in prison. May she and all others who collude or sympatise with her rot in hell.
Joe Xuereb
Dec 15th 2011, 15:15
Sexism in Malta - indeed anywhere - is alive and kicking and to hell anything else. The following theatre settings are very apt and maybe, too near the knuckle, too socialist, for a Maltese audience immersed as it is in hypocritical tradition. The dramatist Brecht never caught on in Britain but he is big in Central Europe, of which he is a product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udaiKBU2V_g (this one is particularly poignant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyoMo76_H7I&feature=related
This is not unlike rogue governments that get elected and re-elected. As in, people get the governemts that they deserve.
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Dec 16th 2011, 09:54
I sure as hell hope that Ms. Bickle will be solitary confined. She has proved beyond any shadow of doubt that she cannot be trusted - not even in prison... and God only knows how many more lives she destroyed whenever she was out on the loose. May she and all others who collude or sympathize with her rot in hell! Christian forgiveness should have its limits too. Sexism or not, she deserves this and harsher treatment - as do all other similar scum who prey on the miseries and insecurities of vulnerable children, teens and adults, whatever the trafficker' gender or nationality.
Robert Sammut
Dec 15th 2011, 08:59
M'hemmx xi tghid,John Bundy kien jaf sew xi kien qieghed jghid meta qal li Malta pajjiz tal Micky Mouse!
Thomas Vella
Dec 15th 2011, 08:52
& tomorrow we'll have a topic named " Queen's sentence has been suspended "
Like seriously ?!? Oh wait we're in Malta.... nevermind
Clayton Borg
Dec 15th 2011, 08:42
If she does get a jail sentence, will she go back to living in the lap of luxury that she had before?
S Vella
Dec 15th 2011, 08:26
Facilita KORRETTIVA ta' Kordin......EZATT!!
B Attard
Dec 15th 2011, 08:20
U dawk li suppost jikkmandaw il-habs jiehdu l-paga ta xejn u forsi komplici maghha wkoll....
Francis Attard
Dec 15th 2011, 07:50
A 'sentence' must also be given to all those who were resposible to prevent this 'scandal' from happening and failed to do so.
Vincent Galea
Dec 15th 2011, 07:24
Is the Devil Female ?
Apologies to all women.
Gordon Swain
Dec 15th 2011, 07:04
Manafx kif l-istorja baqghet iffukata fuqha, il-habs suppost hemm min jiehu hsieb, u iwa il-persuni li kellhom il-poter jiehdu hsieb is-sitwazzjoni ghandhom ihallsu il-kont taghhom, jekk ahna tassew pajjiz demokratiku.
Joseph Borg
Dec 15th 2011, 04:30
Jien inhossni verament iddisgustat b'dan l--abbuz ghal dan iz-zmien kollu. Fejn hi r-riforma li hija mistennija li ssir matul iz-zmien ta' detenzjoni? Drogi, skavitu moderna, abbuzi ...
Min ppermetta li d-drogi jiddahhlu l-habs ghandu jigi mressaq il-Qorti wkoll ghax huwa KOMPLICI ma' din il-mara. Min kien responsabbli mill-habs ma kienx qed jaghmel xogholu jekk halli dan kollu ghaddej - u ta' dan kollu thallas mill-kaxxa tal-poplu. Inhossni misruq mill-kontribuzzjonijiet tieghi. Ghalhekk qed inhallsu t-taxxi? Biex tithallas l-paga taghhom? Paga ta' xiex??? Se jintalab jirrifondi dawn il-flejjes lura, talli halla abbuzi, li kellu d-dover li jara li ma jsirux?
Saret inkjesta gewwa l-habs? Jekk iva, x'kienu r-rizultati? Gew identifikati persuni komplici? X'passi qed jittiehdu fil-konfront taghhom? Ikun tajjeb li l-Ministeru responsabbli jaghtina risposti ghal dawn il-mistoqsijiet.
albert pace
Dec 15th 2011, 02:39
She is going back to her palace where can can reign and enrich herself more.
albert pace
Dec 15th 2011, 02:28
She is going back to her palace where can can reign and enrich herself more.
GAUCI JOSEPH C
Dec 14th 2011, 22:35
I sincerely hope that this sad story will not end with this trial. There are public officers to answer for what happened inside corradino at the time. I hope that all necessary action be taken. Only then will the general public be satisfied. Justice most not only be done but above all seen that it is being done irrespective of who is responsible, or was responsible.
steve Micallef
Dec 14th 2011, 22:03
now as punishment she gets to go back home! ho sorry prison I mean!
Mr R Rizzo
Dec 15th 2011, 08:24
back to work and back in business
Antonia Vella
Dec 14th 2011, 21:39
ahjar tinbidel is sistema tal habs nahseb ax l-istess ser jerga jigri
Mr Rene Brincat
Dec 14th 2011, 21:26
How this was allowed to happen in prison should also be thoroughly investigated, and all those found responsible of not doing their duties or turning a blind eye should be prosecuted. Lessons should be learned, once and for all.
charles tabone
Dec 14th 2011, 21:10
It is hoped that when the Queen steps into the familiar abode, the warders and director should not feel themselves subdued by the antics of a criminal mind. She should undergo a personal and social development treatment to make her a better citizen.
Joe B Edwards
Dec 14th 2011, 20:55
Solitary Confinement, nobody deserves it more than her!
Tonio Bone
Dec 14th 2011, 20:43
Without the need to churn up a conspiracy theory, it seems that the crimes committed by this person in a place were she was supposedly serving her punishment for crimes committed on the streets, the overwhelming vote for a guilty verdict was virtually a no-brainer!
Justice Mallia should go by the book here and hopefully the Corradino administration will make sure, this time round, that this person serves her sentence like any other citizen and that she is made aware that she is being locked up to serve her dues, not to create her own world of priviledge and comfort!
David Farrugia
Dec 14th 2011, 20:40
What about the director of prison and other top officials who let her rule for all those years!?
Marianna Galea Xuereb
Dec 16th 2011, 09:59
Yes! And what about other people in power who most probably protected her and intimidated the top officials into silence and collusion? None of us were born yesterday.
Robert Pace Bonello
Dec 14th 2011, 20:38
So it's now back to the retail and rental business. I wonder if she can apply for some business grant as well.
Mandy O'Dea
Dec 14th 2011, 20:29
The one thing that has been troubling me for the past few days is : Who is this woman ? Why have the prison authorities been so afraid of her ? Is some big guy shadowing her ???
John Pace
Dec 14th 2011, 20:23
suspended sentence..wanna bet?
marco caruana
Dec 14th 2011, 20:22
ir regina Pickles hej !!!
Frans Camilleri
Dec 14th 2011, 20:19
Corradino, here comes the QUEEN. Bring on the red carpet and royal households, prepare for some extra underwear!! :)
Joseph Calleja
Dec 14th 2011, 20:07
Is her majesty going to be isolated from the other inmates? If the guards are so afraid of her, who is going to enforce the law in the prison? I am sure she will return to her way of life and corrupt and poison the rest of the prison system. Maybe they should give her a job in the Warden's office so he can keep an eye on her while typing away. Why not forget the whole thing and give her a Suspended Sentence and get it over with. How do you think the rest of the inmate population is going to feel after this episode, especially those who testified against her? Guards and prison employees included. She must have a lot of friends on the outside.
A Camilleri
Dec 14th 2011, 20:00
Back to business!!!!
Chris Ellul
Dec 14th 2011, 19:51
Send her for 5 years in the army, waking up at 5am every day under strict training programs.... She'll soon get over her habits and anarchic power!! It's what all such individuals deserve! Imbghad naraw tqazzizx iktar meta tlesti!
Daniela Attard
Dec 15th 2011, 00:09
They should have some sort of boot camp for troublesome prisoners and troublesome youths actually... would not be a bad idea at all... discipline!
Joseph Scicluna
Dec 15th 2011, 06:03
She will end up as the garrison commander!
Mr Mike Farrugia
Dec 14th 2011, 19:39
According to Ms. Sghendo's testimony, there are more "naughty" inmates in Prison. What action is going to be taken against the other queens? And what about those who were supposed to be responsible for the prison back than, are they accountable for this behaviour?
Daniela Attard
Dec 14th 2011, 19:33
lets hope the same thing wont happen once she is back in prison!
Mr Joe Camilleri
Dec 14th 2011, 19:28
well then she will be returning to her throne.
Mario Micallef
Dec 15th 2011, 07:26
may i add ,,,,,,,,,, how many if not all of the staff working at that time are still there, and what will happen now in respect of this,? a guilty verdict does not apply only to Ms Bickle ,but to all those that permitted this to happen, we will wait and see...................................................
Tony Borg
Dec 14th 2011, 19:23
It looks like her reign is going to start again!! :)
JOSEPH VELLA
Dec 14th 2011, 19:18
Nispera li l-flus u l-oġġetti kolla li ġħanda bl-ingann min fuq ħaddieħor jiġu konfiskati u l-priġunerija tġħamila fl-iżolament.
Mr R Rizzo
Dec 15th 2011, 07:34
U miskina jekk tkun f'isolament min ha jibda jahsilha u jqaxxrilha s-suf? Jien inpoggiha f'kamra b'tv fejn tista tara biss telebejgh biss
Paul Attard
Dec 14th 2011, 19:16
LOL honestly it sounds like the ideal solution and punishment would be to release her. Then she can't return to her life of luxury.
Joe B Edwards
Dec 14th 2011, 20:56
So she can go after the family members of the people who outed her? No only one way to solve this one - Solitary Confinement for the rest of her sentance plus an additional number of years for drug trafficking, keeping slaves and assaulting other inmates.
Charmaine Marmara'
Dec 14th 2011, 19:04
iktar ha taqla flus issa !!!!