A woman was fined Lm100 for falsely informing the police that her husband was unwell, and could, therefore, not sign the bail book, when in reality he had absconded from the island.

Carmen Butler was found guilty of making a false declaration to the police regarding her husband's state of health on August 18, 1998.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard that on August 17, 1998 Ms Butler's husband, Charles, told her he was going fishing. When he did not return home the following day she feared he would get into trouble with the police as he was on bail over a pending case and had to sign the bail book at the police station. So, in order to help out her husband, Ms Butler went to the family doctor and asked him to issue a medical certificate stating that her husband was sick and could not go to the police station. The doctor issued the certificate and Ms Butler delivered it to the police station.

Some time later, the woman filed a report that her husband had not returned home from fishing. A few days later, the police were informed that Mr Butler had been arrested in Sicily.

Police Inspector Maurice Curmi prosecuted.