Christina Betke

Christine Adams, 21, from Lija was arraigned for wearing a bikini while on the beach at St George’s Bay in St Julian’s on September 5.

But spare your outrage. The blast-from-the-past case took place 50 years ago, in 1964.

Clearly, Christina Betke, the 28-year-old who was controversially arraigned for wearing a bikini a fortnight ago during a Sliema feast band march, might be glad to know her story was not a first.

Back in September 26, 1964, Ms Adams pleaded not guilty to indecency, although she admitted she was wearing the two-piece suit in question.

Police officer Michael Cini had testified that, on the day of the incident, he was accompanied by another policeman and saw Ms Adams sunbathing at the private beach of the Mediterranean Aquatic Sports club.

“We saw her from a distance of about 30 yards. I felt embarrassed by her outfit and felt she was indecently dressed,” Times of Malta quoted him as saying.

I felt embarrassed by her outfit and felt she was indecently dressed

In the early 1960s the bikini was still something seen in Hollywood films. The Church, the media and the public still considered the design risqué and scandalous.

Legal Procurator Benedict Dingli had insisted that the beach was a private one and that the swimwear in question was bought from a local shop and, therefore, “his client was in good faith”.

A cutting from Times of Malta of September 28, 1964 showing Christine Adams outside the Magistrates’ Court.

Sliema supermarket manager J Abela was roped in to give evidence and he confirmed that “his firm had two-piece suits for sale but these were not exhibited”.

Mr Dingli suggested that the court order Ms Adams to wear the bikini so it could decide whether the two-piece was indecent or not. “It’s a two-piece swimsuit, not a bikini,” he insisted. The report does not give details as to whether Ms Adams had actually put the bikini on in court but, in subsequent reports, Times of Malta reported that Ms Adams was acquitted by Magistrate J Debono who said it “did not offend against modesty”.

The court had declared the bathing costume as “not a daring one” but one which “provided ample covering”.

“There is no question that there could be bathing costumes which would be considered too revealing but the costume worn by Miss Adams was not of that type,” the magistrate was reported as saying.

The court, however, warned: “Let there be no mistaken interpretation of the court’s reasoning in the sense that tourists and foreigners can be treated leniently in matters of public decency. Tourists and foreigners cannot plead immunity because of greater laxity at home. Public conscience changed according to the occasion and the environment.”

In her case a fortnight ago, Ms Betke, a German fashion designer, was arrested during the Stella Maris religious procession while wearing a black bikini.

She was kept overnight in a cell at police headquarters and then taken to court, where she was charged with being indecently dressed, breaching the peace, being in a drunken state beyond control in public and disturbing a service of the Roman Catholic religion. She apologised and was given a conditional discharge and fined €150.