A mother of seven was yesterday charged with seriously injuring a care home manager after her children left the home and she had to take them back on Sunday.

The court heard that Rose Marie Pace, 33, from St Paul’s Bay, pushed Holger Saliba to the floor causing him to hit his head in a heated argument at the Kids in Development Home in Żejtun.

She had returned to the home angry that her children were able to leave, the court heard.

In the arraignment yesterday, Ms Pace denied seriously injuring Mr Saliba, assaulting senior therapeutic worker, Andrew Barberi, and relapsing.

Defence lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace told Magistrate Anthony Vella that this was a small incident that got out of hand. He then requested bail.

Police Inspector Kenneth Vella objected to the accused being released on bail, insisting that the victims were doing their job when the attack was carried out.

Dr Micallef Stafrace said it was his client’s right to be granted bail, especially when taking into consideration that she had young children to look after. The accused was the sole breadwinner but, more importantly, denying bail should be the exception and not the rule.

If a protection order were issued, it would be enough in the eyes of the law to ensure the accused did not tamper with evidence by speaking to the accused, Dr Micallef Stafrace argued.

He lamented the fact that if his client was refused bail she would spend about four months behind bars while the prosecution took its time to produce the witnesses.

The Magistrate remanded her in custody and instructed the prosecution to notify all main witnesses to testify in the first sitting.