A mother-of-three who claims to be the victim of loan sharks, broke down in tears on Wednesday afternoon when she was denied bail after pleading not guilty to theft and fraud.

Tanya Borg, a 39-year old cleaner from Marsaxlokk, was refused bail after a court observed that she had already been out on bail three times pending separate proceedings over similar offences.

Her latest arrest came after she was linked to the theft and use of a cheque book.

A report of that alleged theft was made a few months ago at St Julian’s police station by a 62-year old woman. Investigations were later linked to another report filed at Hamrun. A 75-year old man had reported that a cheque used to purchase a bracelet worth some €4400, had bounced.

Investigations eventually led to Tanya Borg. In court, she pleaded not guilty to aggravated theft, making fraudulent gains above €500 but under €5000, forgery as well as breaching three bail decrees delivered by different magistrates in 2018 and 2019.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras upheld a request by the prosecution for a freezing order upon all assets of the mother, save for the annual allowance of €13,976 in terms of law.

Lawyer Kevin Dingli, who informed the court that he was stepping in as defence counsel gratuitously, said the woman was a victim of loan sharks who pressured her and other family members for payments.

The accused’s aunt was outside the courtroom and was willing to cover any losses suffered by the jeweller, he said. Her father had also recently paid another sum to one of the alleged loan sharks.

Not only had the woman cooperated fully with the police but her victims were also apparently willing to forgive her, the lawyer argued further when making submissions on bail.

But prosecuting inspectors Andy Rotin and Matthew Grech objected, underlining the fact that the accused had been granted bail on three occasions and had other pending proceedings.

Moreover, both victims were elderly and vulnerable persons, still to testify.

The court turned down the request for bail since civilians were still to testify, there was a real risk of tampering with evidence, and the accused did not offer sufficient guarantees in terms of law.

The court’s decision was met with tears by the mother and her sobbing continued for a while as she was led outside the hall under custody, on the eve of what she claimed to be her son’s birthday.