A man told a court on Monday that a woman whom he had only met once had stolen around €750 he had managed to put aside after quitting smoking. 

Emanuel Dalli said he had taken the woman home after having a pizza together and she had returned to steal his savings.

He was testifying against 28-year-old Yanika Cuschieri from Birkirkara, who is being accused of theft, committing a crime while on probation and relapsing.

The man told Magistrate Leonard Caruana the woman had told him about the difficulties she was facing so he offered that she could clean his place in return for some extra cash.

However, when on February 3 he was returning home at around 10pm he saw the woman accompanied by another man, leaving his house.

He grabbed the man by the neck while his son, who had accompanied him home, held the woman until the police arrived.

While they were waiting for the police, the man told him that he had nothing to do with the entire operation while the woman began accusing him of misdemeanour in her regard.

He said he found the back door of his house unlocked and understood that the couple had entered through there to steal. He added she stole around €750 in one and two euro coins.

The case continues next month.

Inspector Kurt Farrugia, assisted by Attorney Joseph Camilleri Azarov and Cynthia Tomasuolo from the Attorney General's office, prosecuted.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Adreana Zammit were defence counsel.