A woman was remanded in custody on Thursday after being accused of carrying out a late-night hold-up of the McDonald's restaurant in Birkirkara on Saturday.

Claire Polidano, 43, a mother-of three with no fixed address and unemployed, pleaded not guilty to having committed the hold up during which she made off with an unspecified amount of cash, not exceeding €2329.37.

She was further charged with having held three persons against their will.

According to media reports, the woman walked into a Valley Road establishment with a towel wrapped around her hand and ordered a teenage cashier to hand over money in the till.  

In court, she was also charged with an attempted hold-up at lotto booth in Pieta’ on the evening of October 2, with holding two persons against their will and with carrying a knife without a police licence.

She was further charged with having breached the conditions of a suspended sentence.

The prosecution objected to a request for bail on account of the fact that civilian witnesses still have to testify. Moreover, the woman had no fixed address and had breached the conditions of a court judgment.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech turned down the request for bail in view of the woman’s lack of trustworthiness and the fact that civilian witnesses were still to testify.

The court, however, upheld a request by the defence recommending that the alleged offender be remanded to the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel in view of the fact that she needed treatment.

A request for a ban on the publication of the accused’s name was turned down. “One should be careful beforehand” the magistrate warned, declaring that there was no valid reason to merit the ban.

Inspectors Lydon Zammit, Elton Taliana and Fabian Fleri prosecuted.