A woman with a long list of cases related to fraud has been jailed for seven months after pleading guilty to defrauding an Englishman who had paid her to rent an apartment which was not hers.

Annabelle Camilleri Monreal, 28, from Xemxija, was also charged over the Gozo farmhouses scam last year.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard Ms Camilleri Monreal plead guilty to defrauding John Palmer of €1,000.

The court heard how the accused rented an apartment in St Paul’s Bay for a couple of days, made a copy of the key and later took Mr Palmer to show him the apartment for rental. He agreed and paid her a €600 deposit and another €400 to rent the apartment for a month.

In court, the accused began crying and claimed she was pregnant. She pleaded guilty to defrauding the man, relapsing and breaching the conditions of a previous release. She was jailed for seven months.

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

Lawyers Veronique Dalli and Noel Bianco appeared for the accused.