A British tourist has complained of weakening security in Paceville after her daughter was attacked inside a club and bouncers were slow to help out.
Virginia Becker’s 24-year-old daughter Stephanie suffered head injuries and had to be treated in hospital after a man assaulted her in the early hours of Monday morning.
“We were having a drink at one of the clubs situated at the Paceville steps when this guy went up to Stephanie wanting to talk to her and dance with her.
“Because she refused, he kept on pestering her, ultimately slamming her against the large speakers and strangling her,” said Ms Becker, who has visited Malta some 14 times.
Reacting instantly, Ms Becker tried to push the man away and it was only when he struggled back that a bouncer went over to help, she claimed.
“At first only one bouncer showed up and he started debating whether or not to remove the man from the club.”
Ms Becker then noticed that blood was trickling down her daughter’s forehead and by the time she reached her side, the 24-year-old had collapsed, losing consciousness. “I was frantic. That’s when the other bouncers finally showed up and we called an ambulance. By then, the man who had attacked my daughter had rushed out of the club.”
Because she refused, he kept on pestering her, ultimately slamming her against the large speakers and strangling her
Ms Becker said she was disappointed at the bouncers’ slow reaction as well as that of the police who were outside the club. She claimed to have managed to get a good look at the assailant and gave a description of him to the police, hoping he was still nearby.
Her daughter required a CAT scan in hospital and the wound on her head had to be stapled.
Ms Becker later filed a police report at the St Julian’s station but said they did not appear to know anything about the incident. She has not heard anything from the police since.
Contacted by this newspaper, the police said they were investigating the case.
Saying Paceville had seemed less safe recently, Ms Becker said she was shocked at the way she had seen security personnel handling such cases.
“It’s not the first time that I have seen bouncers beating up people, instigating glass bottle fights, acting like thugs and then looking on while people are being attacked. The place is not what it once was. We’ll definitely be staying away from now on.”
Safety and security at Paceville has, in recent months, come under harsh criticism after a string of incidents made it to the headlines.
In November, 74 people, including minors, were injured when a glass banister outside PlusOne nightclub shattered during a mass exit.
A woman claimed she had been raped in the early hours of Friday in Paceville.