A court has acquitted three Palumbo Shipyard representatives of disturbing Senglea residents' repose as it could not be proven that the noise in question was emanating from the Palumbo Shipyard.

Company director Joseph Calleja, Francesco Domenico Impollino as captain and Saverio Velluci as inspector of a tugboat named Hamal, which was supplying electricity to another vessel at Dock 6, were arraigned on Monday after residents complained they could not stand the incessant noise disturbing their sleep any longer.

The arraignment followed a criminal complaint filed by Anna Spiteri, who is also the PRO of the Senglea Resident Association, regarding an incessant, low, rumbling noise heard on the night between January 28 and 29.

Ms Spiteri had told the court that the non-stop noise, which sounded like the hum of a generator, was the last straw for the beleaguered residents.

On Wednesday, the court heard how readings taken in the bedrooms of Senglea residences whose owners complained of incessant humming noises from Palumbo shipyards showed that with the window open, the noise levels exceeded the World Health Organisation threshold of 30 decibels.

However, the shipyard owners disputed the value of the threshold limit saying that the noise levels were still within the World Health Organisation nighttime parameter which they claimed was 40 decibels.

The contrasting interpretations were given before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, who this morning ruled that it could not be verified that the inconvenience was emanating from Dock 5, where the Hamal was docked.

Lawyers Abigail Bugeja, Matthew Brincat and Kathleen Grima appeared for the accused.

Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted.