A Senglea resident told a court todaythat incessant noise from Palumbo Shipyards was driving her crazy and that she only got some sleep after taking tranquilisers.

The woman was testifying before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja in the criminal complaint filed by Senglea Residents Association PRO Anna Spiteri, against Palumbo director Joseph Calleja, Francesco Domenico Impollino as captain of the vessel Hamal and vessel inspector Saverio Velluci.

The three are being charged with disturbing the residents' repose. They residents have complained of an incessant, low, rumbling noise heard on the night between last Thursday and Friday.

During today’s proceedings, a woman who lives in an apartment close the Senglea bastions, told the court that the noise, which she described as similar to a car engine, was unbearable.

“I only managed to get some sleep after taking tranquilisers as the glass panes were vibrating,” she testified. However, she could not indicate the exact location from where the noise was being generated.

Another Senglea resident, a man who was been living in the locality for 20 years, testified that the noise started soon after that merchant vessel Grande Argentina entered the shipyard. He noted that the noise decreased yesterday afternoon, when the vessel was moved to Dock 6 further away from his residence.

Asked about the source of the noise, he pointed his finger at this vessel, saying that it was the only one in the vicinity with the engines on and smoke billowing from its chimney.

Asked by the defence if this incessant noise had prevented him from sleeping, he said this was not the case, but insisted that the disturbance was still a source of constant inconvenience.

Earlier two police officers from the Cospicua police station testified that they went to the shipyard twice on the night between 28 and 29 January, following anonymous complaints.

However, none of them could tell if the noise was audible from the station. They also pointed out that no inspections were carried out to verify the level of the noise reaching Senglea residents.

One of the officers insisted that during the inspection he was told by a Palumbo security officer that the noise was being emanated by a generator aboard a tugboat named Hamal, which was supplying power to a vessel. The officer said that he saw part of this generator at the rear of the tugboat.

Grilled by the defence, he admitted that he had never seen an actual nautical generator to be able to confirm what he had just testified, but insisted that the noise was coming from there.

His account contrasted with that of another officer who, on the night, inspected the shipyard with him. The latter testified that he only heard the noise but did not actually see the generator.

Lawyers Abigail Bugeja, Matthew Brincat and Kathleen Grima are appearing for the accused. Inspector Josric Mifsud is prosecuting.

The case continues tomorrow.