A woman on bail claimed she decided to remain indoors, failing to sign in at her local police station every day, to avoid being tempted into taking drugs.

Philianne Ceci, 30, admitted breaching her bail conditions and explained that, in her efforts to overcome her addiction, she only left home to attend drug treatment at Sedqa or to visit her two children at the offices of support agency Appoġġ.

Last January, Ms Ceci had been granted bail after she was charged with drug possession.

At the time she lived in Valletta and, according to the bail conditions, had to sign daily at the police station. Police Inspector Pierre Grech said she had last signed the bail book on January 23.

She claimed she only left home to attend treatment or visit her children

Since then, the police could not track her down as she moved elsewhere. She was arrested in Marsa recently at about 2am, he said.

Ms Ceci said that, since January, she had been striving to overcome her drug problem and tried joining a rehabilitation programme.

She denied being in Marsa when she was arrested and insisted that she only left her Naxxar home to go to Sedqa or Appoġġ.

Her lawyer, Simon Micallef Stafrace, did not ask for bail at this stage.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit ordered her probation officer to draw up a pre-sentencing report and put off the case for judgment on September 2. Until then, Ms Ceci will be held in preventive custody at Mount Carmel Hospital, where she will get help for her addiction.