A former inmate and witness in the trial by jury of the late “queen of jail”, Josette Bickle, was arraigned yesterday and charged with breaching bail conditions.

The police spotted Elaine Muscat, 32, from St Julian’s, in Ta’ Xbiex on Saturday evening when she should have been at home under a curfew imposed on her by the courts when granting her bail.

Police Inspectors Carlos Cordina and Trevor Micallef told the court that she had been given bail in cases she faced overprostitution, theft and drug-related charges.

Defence lawyer Joe Brincat said breaching the curfew was not as serious as breaching other bail conditions such as not turning up in court or hiding. This was more of a disciplinary matter than something she should be jailed over. He asked Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras to fine Ms Muscat rather than jail her.

The magistrate put off the case for sentencing and denied bail.

Ms Muscat was one of four main witnesses for the prosecution against Ms Bickle, who, in 2011, was jailed for 12 years for drug trafficking in prison. Ms Bickle died in prison last year.

She had been dubbed the queen of jail by inmates and during the trial, Ms Muscat told the jurors that Ms Bickle had an extra cell where she kept four television sets, a surround sound system and other luxuries while others had nothing.

Ms Muscat had also said that prison warders feared Ms Bickle.