A woman who allegedly attacked a neighbour with a hammer was released on bail after pleading not guilty upon her arraignment and binding herself to take up residence in another locality.

Charlene Gatt, a 33-year-old St Paul’s Bay resident, living on unemployment benefits, was arrested following the incident on Wednesday afternoon when the woman allegedly hit her female neighbour on the face with a meat mallet.

Prosecuting inspector Spiridione Zammit informed the court this had not been a solitary incident.

On October 13, the arrested woman had smashed the windscreen of the  neighbour's car, he said.

Since then, other reports about the woman had been filed by a number of residents in the Qawra area, the inspector said, strongly objecting to the request for bail and hinting at the woman’s problematic character.

However, defence lawyer Franco Debono pointed out that his client was willing to submit to all bail conditions, including the terms of a protection order, and was even offering an alternative address in another locality.

Besides, the accused was still to be presumed innocent, Dr Debono argued.

Having heard these submissions, the court, presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, granted bail against a personal guarantee of €10,000, an obligation to sign the bail book three times weekly and a curfew between 7pm and 7am.

The court bound the woman with a protection order, warning her to neither approach the victim or to even to lay foot in St Paul’s Bay.

“You must follow all instructions otherwise you’ll face great problems,” was the magistrate’s final warning.

Lawyer Amadeus Cachia was also defence counsel.