Seventeen years after next door demolition works also demolished most of her house, Mary Buttigieg, of St Ursola Street, Valletta, has received compensation from the law courts.

But she passed away in 2005 without seeing the outcome of the court case instituted in February 1996, with the case having been taken over by her children.

The contractor responsible for the works, John Polidano also passed away and the compensation will be paid by his curators.

Mrs Buttigieg had instituted legal proceedings against Mr Polidano, Architect Carmel Busuttil (who subsequently also passed away) and Anton Camilleri as director of the Government Property Division.

Polidano had been awarded a tender by the Government Property Division to demolish the building which was next door to Mrs Buttigieg's residence.

During the works, Mrs Buttigieg's residence collapsed. An architect appointed by the court found that the instructions of architect Busuttil were not fully observed by contractor Polidano.

The court said that while Polidano had argued that the foundations of the structure were weak, he still had to shoulder responsibility for his actions. It was clear, from the outset, that the work was delicate, to the extent that neighbours were asked to leave their homes.

The architect had not been notified exactly when the work was to be carried out, and it was only on the day that the collapse took place, that he was contacted by Polidano, when deep cracks started to appear. By that time, however, it was too late.

The court therefore acquitted architect Busuttil. It also acquitted the Director of the Government Property Division, who had pleaded that in terms of his contract, the contractor was fully responsible for any damages caused to third parties. Furthermore, the government had offered alternative and better premises to Mrs Buttigieg, who had accepted.

The court ordered the curator of Mr Polidano's assets to pay damages of €8.042 as compensation for furniture and other items lost by Mrs Buttigeg