Four Italian men who surrounded a French woman and groped her in broad daylight have been given suspended jail sentences.

Giuseppe Bellissimo, 28, Vito Borges, 25, Davide Sufre, 26, and Vincenzo Galato, 23, pleaded guilty to violent indecent assault of 18-year-old Constance Maillaird de la Morandais in St Julian’s.

Prosecuting Inspector Godwin Scerri told the court that the four men had “formed a chain” around the French tourist at around 3 p.m. on the St Julian’s promenade on Tuesday.

They started “touching her from the front and behind” – always keeping their hands over her clothes. “It lasted a few seconds but, obviously, she was shocked,” Insp. Scerri said.

On hearing that the men were sorry for their actions, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli asked the interpreter, who was translating the procedures into Italian, to pass on the message to the French woman.

The translator informed Ms Maillaird de la Morandais that the four men had admitted to the charges and apologised for what they had done to her.

However, she quickly replied that she did not accept the apology and wanted the men to be punished.

Magistrate Demicoli jailed them for five months suspended for one year.

Police Inspector Luke Bonello also prosecuted.