The German woman who was kept in a cell overnight for her drunken dancing in a bikini during a religious procession is a devout Catholic who say she got carried away by the festivities.

“I was raised a Catholic and had no intention of disrespecting the festa, quite the contrary. I’m sure God will forgive me,” Christina Betke, 28, told Times of Malta.

I kept hoping it was a bad dream... but every time I opened my eyes, I was still stuck in that cell

Ms Betke was arraigned on Sunday and pleaded guilty to disturbing a service of the Roman Catholic Church after having danced among band members during the Stella Maris feast the previous night.

The charge had raised eyebrows among the legal community, with many claiming the police had acted “overzealously” and that the girl should never have been taken to court.

Recounting what happened, Ms Betke, who has lived and worked in Malta for a year, explained that she had spent the day at a boat party. The trip ended at Sliema Ferries, right as the marching band happened to be passing at that exact spot.

Ms Betke admitted she had had a few drinks – the same as everyone else on board – and was swept away by the jolly atmosphere.

“I have been to festas before and I know that the atmosphere is usually very fun-loving. I was just enjoying myself and didn’t think I would be arrested and charged in court because of it,” she said.

Her merrymaking, however, was not the only thing to land her in hot water. Ms Betke was also charged with disturbing the peace, being drunk and disorderly and with being indecently dressed.

She had caught the eyes of law enforcement officers as she made her way through the band players dressed in a skimpy black bikini.

The swimwear frolic resulted in a two-year conditional discharge along with a €150 fine after she was kept for the night in a lock-up at the Floriana police headquarters.

Alone and confused, Ms Betke said she had wished the entire episode was just an alcohol-fuelled hallucination.

“I kept hoping it was a bad dream and that I would wake up. But every time I opened my eyes, I was still stuck in that cell,” she said, adding that she had never imagined her harmless fun would land her in so much trouble.

I want to clear my name

A fashion designer, Ms Betke felt the legal action taken against her did not seem to match the offence but she accepted it nonetheless.

“I do think the whole thing was a bit too much. But I want to put this behind me. Everyone knows what happened and I don’t want people to have any misconceptions,” she said.

Despite the bitter experience, Ms Betke said she was determined to prove her respect for the island’s traditions and would be resorting to her passion for fashion to make amends.

She pledged to dedicate a number of fashion designs to the Stella Maris church, and would donate the proceeds of their sale to the church in a gesture of goodwill.

“I want to clear my name. I don’t want people from Malta to see me in this light,” she said.