The Criminal Court yesterday revoked the authorisation given to seven lap dancers to go to their country for Christmas after it found that the Attorney General had not been informed of the permission granted to these women within one day as laid down in the law.

Mr Justice David Scicluna, presiding over the Criminal Court, upheld the Attorney General’s application to revoke the permit after he quoted Article 575 of the Criminal Code which states that when the Court of Magistrates grants bail or amends bail conditions, the decision shall be served on the Attorney General by not later than the next working day.

Handing down judgement, Mr Justice Scicluna pointed out that since the applicants – seven women who are following criminal proceedings in connection with their participation in lap-dancing and managing a brothel – the Court of Magistrates “should have taken the necessary care to observe the provisions of the law and order that its decision be duly notified”.

Mr Justice Scicluna nullified the authorisation given to the seven women to leave the island pending their criminal proceedings.

He also ordered that no proceedings be taken against any of the women who may have left the island after the magistrate handed down his authorisation for them to leave the island since they left “in good faith”.

Dr Donatella Frendo Dimech appeared on behalf of the Attorney General.

Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner yesterday filed a counter-protest to that filed against him by the owners of six bars who employed the foreign women.

In his counter-protest, the Police Commissioner denied all the allegations made against him and the police.

The commissioner also said that the police were not conducting “searches”, as the bar owners were claiming, but simply “inspections”.

He said the police did not require a magistrate’s warrant to carry out inspections and these were warranted because the police are duty-bound to ensure good order.

The commissioner added that contrary to what the bar owners claimed, these bars did not have the necessary licence for lap dancing.

The commissioner said he will not delve into the merits of the case since the case is still sub judice.