A young woman who was assaulted while sunbathing by the sea in Valletta on August 28 recounted her ordeal in court on Thursday and said she is still suffering nightmares.

Anna Karsbjer, a 26-year-old Swede, testified in proceedings against the alleged aggressor, Frederick Mifsud, 36 of Siġġiewi.

She said she had been on the phone with her father when she sensed the presence of a man nearby.

“There’s a man standing here,” Karsbjer told her father, with whom she was discussing her mother’s forthcoming birthday.

She had been lying down, when she suddenly sensed the man’s presence.

Looking up, she spotted the stranger, fishing net in hand.

“Please can you keep your distance because of the COVID situation?” the woman had asked.

“Yes, I’m just fishing,” he replied, moving away.

The woman returned to her phone conversation.

But, the next minute, the man suddenly leapt out of nowhere stamping her face.

“At first I thought he had fallen off the cliff,” the woman recalled, her voice breaking down as she described the violence that followed.

“He was sitting on top of me, grabbing my hair and knocking my head against the rocks. I didn’t know if he was going to rape me or kill me.”

As she tried to get away, he again grabbed her hair and the violence continued.

He was sitting on top of me, grabbing my hair and knocking my head against the rocks.

She recalled how she had felt blood seeping into her mouth, thinking that her nose “would come off”.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the aggression stopped, the man ran off and she followed, in search of help.

Two passers-by came to her assistance, alerting the police.

The woman said the incident had left her badly shaken and shocked.

After receiving first aid at the health centre, she visited a private hospital where she was diagnosed as having suffered a nasal fracture. She also needed therapy for trauma.

“But it just won’t go away,” she sobbed, saying that she still had nightmares.

Under cross-examination, the woman said that the only comments exchanged with her alleged aggressor was her request for social distancing.

“What was your tone of voice?” asked defence lawyer Marion Camilleri.

“I just spoke firmly,” she replied.

“What if I tell you that the man has no knowledge of English?” the lawyer asked.

“Everyone in the world understands COVID,” the woman replied.

Inspector Daryl Borg from the Valletta police station as well as two officers who were the first to assist the victim, also testified, confirming the report which had reached them at around 2.50pm.

The woman had told police how the suspect had ran away, describing him as a tall, thin man, dark-complexioned, wearing a white Reebok t-shirt.

After documenting her injuries and account, the police had accompanied the woman to the health centre where her injuries were certified as slight.

They later escorted her home.

At the end of the sitting, Magistrate Nadine Lia, declared that there was sufficient evidence for the accused to face trial under a bill of indictment.

The case continues in November.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are defence counsel.

Lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic assisted the victim.

Inspector Daryl Borg prosecuted.