A German diplomat’s wife and two men are being accused of harassing each other after an incident next to a taxi in Paceville at 4am last May.

Moroccan-born Ihssane Larhzali, from Sliema, yesterday said she was standing near the taxi when its owner, Fabian Mifsud, walked over to her and shouted to get her “dirty ass” off the car.

She said she told him there was no need to be rude but he continued to hurl vulgarities at her and became violent.

She tried to reason things out with him, pointing out that she had not damaged his car.

However, Ms Larhzali testified, he became increasingly irritated and she said she would call the police.

As she reached into her handbag to get her mobile phone, Mr Mifsud grabbed her by the hair and started hitting her. She then fell to the ground, she said.

Mr Mifsud’s friend Emanuel Tabone also got involved and, at one point, held her arm behind her back while Mr Mifsud hit her, Ms Larhzali told Magistrate Ian Farrugia.

Mr Mifsud and Mr Tabone are pleading not guilty to slightly injuring and harassing the woman.

On her part, Ms Larhzali is denying charges of harassing and threatening to use violence against Mr Mifsud.

She has waived her diplomatic immunity in this case.

“I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Ms Larhzali said, adding that during the incident she had gone into a state of shock.

She said she had struggled with Mr Tabone and kicked him between the legs in self defence.

Ms Larhzali said her friend took her mobile phone to call the police at which point Mr Mifsud took a step back.

She said she got up and called the police, telling the person who answered the phone that a man had attacked her.

When she mentioned Paceville, the person on the other end of the line hung up, she testified.

She phoned again, identifying herself as a diplomat and warned that she would call the embassy if she was not assisted.

Police officers arrived within minutes but by that time Mr Mifsud had left.

I couldn’t believe what was happening

Ms Larhzali said she told the officers that if Mr Mifsud apologised she would forgive him.

However, after speaking to her husband, she decided to press charges.

She said she also asked the police officers to carry out a breathalyser test on her to prove that she was not drunk but they told her they did not have one with them.

Mr Mifsud and Mr Tabone denied hitting the woman.

Mr Mifsud said that working in Paceville at night always presented problems and drunk people would often lean against his taxi.

He testified that, in this case, he walked up to Ms Larhzali and politely asked her to move but, unlike many others, she did not budge.

He said he made the same request twice more but she refused to move so he grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

She resisted and fell back, causing a small dent to the car, which he only spotted the next day, he said.

He said she started hitting him with her handbag and kicking him.

Mr Tabone said she kept telling him to get into his car and drive away and he took her advice.

Magistrate Farrugia put off the case for judgment.