A 30-year-old mother of four yesterday denied trying to kill several people on Sunday during a brawl in Gżira when she allegedly drove a Mercedes through a packed street.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono said Sharon Briffa, from Mtarfa, was trying to get away from a group of men who tried to attack her. He added that her feet slipped off the car pedals moments before she ran over two people.

The incident occurred outside the Orpheum hall in Patrick Stuart Street at about 4 p.m. when Ms Briffa’s boyfriend was involved in a fight with another man during which one of them was seriously injured in the face, Police Inspector Jesmond Micallef said.

At one point, he added, Ms Briffa got into the car, which was parked in another street, and drove around the block and into Patrick Stuart Street that was crowded with people.

Ms Briffa is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of several people, driving dangerously and at speed.

Dr Debono told the court he could not understand the attempted murder charge when his client was only trying to escape the men attacking her.

The prosecuting officer replied that if driving around a block and into a group of people was not an attempted murder, especially when the victims were seriously injured, then he did not know what was.

In pleas on bail, the lawyer told Magistrate Giovanni Grixti his client had four children, aged between six and 12, who had to be looked after.

The accused was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €4,000.