A serial fraudster, whose name is synonymous with tricking people into renting apartments and villas that do not belong to her, was today jailed for two years and nine months, only to be re-arraigned a few hours later over more fraud cases.

Annabelle Camilleri Monreal, 29, from Xemxija, who was last year arraigned over the scam involving Gozo farmhouses, was jailed after pleading guilty to defrauding six people this month.

Before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, Ms Camilleri Monreal admitted to taking money for rentals of properties that were not hers.

She was jailed for nine months and had a two-year suspended sentence brought into effect.

She was brought to court just a few hours later where, before Magistrate Doreen Clarke, she denied defrauding another long list of people.

In his request for bail, defence lawyer Noel Bianco said his client was paying back the money she owed people and claimed she was a victim of usury.

But Police Inspector Godwin Scerri shot back, saying that there were queues of people outside the Qawra police station, all waiting to file reports against her.

He also said that Ms Camilleri Monreal had defrauded other people to repay people who she had previously defrauded.

Magistrate Clarke said the accused was not trustworthy, given her systematic conduct, and remanded her in custody.

Last month, the woman, with a long list of cases related to fraud, was jailed for seven months after admitting to defrauding an Englishman of €1,000 who had paid her to rent an apartment in St Paul’s Bay which was not hers.

The woman has other pending fraud cases, including one in which she is accused of defrauding her former employer, Zahra Trading and Properties.