Police break down wall to arrest Frenchwoman

Police arresting a Frenchwoman took a magistrate’s orders – to use force if necessary – quite literally and partly demolished a low wall to get in, Times of Malta has learnt. Swieqi deputy mayor Justin Fenech said that, on Wednesday afternoon, he received a phone call from a friend of Catherine Sophie Pernot Sprangers, 57. When he went to Ms Pernot Sprangers’ home in Swieqi he saw the partly demolished boundary wall. By then, he said, the police had left and taken Ms Pernot Sprangers with them. Dr Fenech said he then asked an officer at the St Julian’s police station what had happened and was told the police had acted on a court mandate and would pay for the damaged wall. When asked for a comment, the St Julian’s police station referred Times of Malta to the police press officer. However, questions sent to the community and media relations unit, asking why the arresting officers felt it necessary to partly demolish the wall, remained unanswered by the time of going to print. This newspaper received the standard acknowledgement reply, stating: “With reference to your e-mail below, please note that your request is being processed.” Magistrate Francesco Depa-squale ordered the...