A magistrate yesterday took a Romanian woman to task over her claim she was forced into prostitution by her former boyfriend, after she gave conflicting versions of events in testimony against him.

In a four-hour sitting, Magistrate Ian Farrugia told Pilaf Anisoara that her version of events did not make sense and told her to stop wasting his time.

Ms Anisoara told the court she became a prostitute to provide financial help to her former boyfriend, Alexandru Onofrei, 26, also from Romania. When she tried to stop he threatened her, forcing her to carry on.

Mr Onofrei is pleading not guilty to trafficking Ms Anisoara, forcing her and his girlfriend Mariaca Daresco into prostitution, holding them against their will, living off the earnings of prostitution and running a brothel.

The witness claimed Mr Onofrei did not allow her leave their Qormi apartment. However, she also said she was free to go food shopping and attend a barbecue, as well as spending time alone in a San Ġwann flat which was used as the brothel.

At one point, the magistrate told her that she could have easily sought the help of the police. When faced with this, she said she had not wanted her daughter to find out that she was working as a prostitute. “So it’s that you were not afraid of Alex...is it a big lie? Decide!” the magistrate exclaimed.

She then said it was both because she was afraid and because she didn’t want her 15-year-old daughter to find out. Ms Anisoara said she got into prostitution after the accused approached her with a way to make money. Mr Onofrei opened an account on escort-europe.com, a website where women could advertise their sexual services, and together with his girlfriend, they began to work.

She and her daughter were living with the accused and his girlfriend in Qormi at the time and they would go to the flat used as a brothel almost every day.

Despite spending a lot of time there she only ever had four clients who paid €80, 40 per cent of which Mr Onofrei would take. She was questioned as to why, when she had some money in hand, she did not leave. She said the flight tickets were just too expensive.

Defence lawyer Martin Fenech asked her why she had not contacted her client and friend, whose number plate he gave in court, to help her, especially since she went to have coffee with him. She said the accused had stopped her from contacting him.

Asked if she knew another prostitute who went by the name Daniela Halala, who worked from a flat in Portziuncola Street, Qawra, Ms Anisoara said she did but denied ever working from this flat.

The magistrate adjourned the sitting to Thursday morning for Mr Onofrei’s girlfriend to testify. He will remain in custody for the women’s protection and will leave once all testimony is gathered.

Police Inspector Sylvana Briffa prosecuted.