Man charged with defiling young girl at Fgura playground

A 42-year-old man from Fgura has denied threatening and indecently assaulting a young girl at a playground in his hometown.

Louis Calleja was arraigned under arrest before Magistrate Elaine Rizzo on Monday and charged with defiling a seven-year-old girl, holding her against her will and subjecting her to immodest acts.

Calleja was also accused of causing a vulnerable person to fear violence, offending public morals in a place open to the public, carrying a firearm and a knife in public without a licence, committing a crime against the person while in possession of a weapon, recidivism and breaching a probation order.

Police Inspectors Antonello Magri and Wayne Buhagiar, prosecuting together with lawyers Cynthia Tomasuolo and Jurgen Dalli from the Office of the Attorney General, told the court what had led to the man’s arrest.

On October 28, a woman of Indian nationality had gone to the Paola police station to report that, while her son and daughter had been at the Fgura playground, a man had pulled the girl towards the Fgura playground, threatening her with a knife and a handgun, before exposing himself.

CCTV footage from the area had confirmed the woman’s account. Calleja was identified from the video and was arrested at his home, where the clothes seen on the footage were also found.

Calleja was granted police bail on November 2 for hospital treatment before being rearrested four days later.

When questioned by the police, the man said that he had only tied the girl’s shoelaces and spoken to her.

Calleja pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody.

The court upheld the prosecution’s request for a protection order lasting the duration of the case, in favour of the victim and her family.

Lawyer Michaela Giglio assisted the defendant.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the incident happened at the Fgura band club, when in fact it happened at a Fgura playground. The error is regretted.