A 13-year-old student ended up in court yesterday, charged with assaulting and slightly injuring her teacher at school on Thursday.

The girl, whose name cannot be published because she is still a minor, was also accused of threatening her teacher, at Erin Serracino Inglott School in Cospicua at around 1.25pm.

She was further accused of pushing and insulting her teacher and using vulgar language.

Before magistrate Anthony Vella, the girl pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her.

Defence lawyer Joe Giglio told the court that arresting a 13-year-old girl was counter productive and the case should have been heard in a juvenile court. He added that Malta has a problem with security in schools but if the police cannot provide security for teachers, it does not make sense to react in this manner.

“However, the police are trying to get a message across and are using the girl as an instrument for public relations,” he said.

Police inspector Alexander Grech told the court that the school authorities had informed the police about the incident soon after it happened but said they did not arrest the girl as they did not want to create a stir at school.

He said he received orders from his superiors to arrest the girl yesterday morning, some time before she was charged in court. When they went to the girl’s house to speak to her as part of their investigations into the incident soon after it occurred on Thursday, he said, she and her parents were not home but were at a meeting with the school authorities.

However, presiding magistrate Anthony Vella said there was no reason to arrest the girl and ruled that the arrest was not justified.

Magistrate Vella placed the girl under the supervision of a probation officer and requested the school’s social worker to prepare a report about the girl’s behaviour in recent months.

He noted that no representatives from the school were present and said that someone should have appeared in court. However, Inspector Grech said that the school authorities had not been informed about the girl’s arraignment.

Dr Giglio requested the court to transfer the case to the juvenile court and magistrate Vella acceded to this request.

Police Inspector Alexander Grech prosecuted and Dr Joseph Giglio appeared for the girl.