Senglea residents have filed a criminal complaint against Palumbo Shipyards claiming the incessant noise has disturbed their sleep for the past week.

Company director Joseph Calleja, Francesco Domenico Impollino as captain of the vessel Hamal and vessel inspector Saverio Velluci stand charged with disturbing the inhabitants’ rest.

Although the charge centres on last Thursday night, Anna Spiteri, who is also the PRO of the Senglea Residents Association, told the court that the “low, rumbling” noise of a ship’s generator began on January 25 and sounded like a cross between a washing machine spin cycle and a revved truck.

This constant humming was complemented by other sounds such as hammering and sawing through metal.

People are getting sick, we can’t go on

“My daughter is sitting for her exams. She needs to sleep at night. People are getting sick, we can’t go on,” Ms Spiteri told Magistrate Aaron Bugeja in her impassioned plea.

“Yes, we know Palumbo need to work. We’re not questioning that. But we all have to wake up for work the next day. We know that the Mepa permits they have allow them to work till 10pm and we are fine with that. But not that they work throughout the night – that’s unacceptable.”

Paul Macdonald, a US national who currently lives in Senglea, told the court that he had filed three reports in January and had presented the police with recordings capturing the intensified noise levels. He confirmed that his sleep had been disturbed on several occasions.

At the police station, it was concluded that the noise was coming from a generator. However, the witness testified that the noises had included metal banging against metal and sawing through metal. He said he saw “what looked like welding sparks”.

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