A man was remanded in custody on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to abducting a woman on the street and subjecting her to a sexual offence against her will. 

The woman, a Maltese whose name was banned under court order, later turned up at Naxxar police station to report the incident. 

The prosecution said that the woman reported on April 1 that she was the victim of a sexual offence. She gave police information which led them to identify the suspect who was arrested on Monday. 

The man, Ilir Gjorna, 42, an Albanian, was arrested at Malta International Airport upon his return from an overseas trip. He works as a carpenter in St Paul's Bay. 

He allegedly offered the woman a lift at a bus stop. When she refused, he pushed her into his van, where the sexual abuse took place. 

In court, he was accused of abduction, committing a non-consensual sexual act, holding the woman against her will, harassment, offending public morals and decency as well as breaching traffic regulations.

During Wednesday's proceedings, the prosecution called for an extended application of a protection order in favour of the victim. 

Defence lawyer Mario Buttigieg, pointed out that the two did not even know each other. Magistrate Gabriella Vella said the court could do no more than apply the order to the victim's home, workplace and any place she frequented. She warned, however that should there be any breach, the accused would face a possible maximum €7,000 fine or two years jail term or both.

A request for a ban on publication of the accused's name was rejected.

AG lawyers Angele Vella and Danika M Vella prosecuted, together with inspectors Andrew Agius Bonello and Clayton Camilleri.