Swieqi man jailed for possession of child porn

A 37-year-old man was jailed for 42 months and will have to undergo three years of treatment after he admitted to charges of possession of indecent images of children, as well as charges of assaulting and biting the police officer who arrested him.

Approximately 200 indecent photos of children were found on a memory card belonging to the man.

Police inspectors Sylvana Briffa and Edel Mary Camilleri had arraigned Keith Falzon from Swieqi on May 18, charging him with possessing indecent images of children and with resisting arrest.

He admitted to the possession of the photographs.

Sources said the photographs were indecent nude photographs of children but were not hardcore child porn.

He also pleaded guilty to disobeying police orders. When he had been approached by the police, Falzon had resisted arrest and a policeman’s ear had been bitten during the struggle.

In his considerations on sentencing, Magistrate Neville Camilleri took into account the serious nature of the offences as well as the fact that Falzon had filed an early guilty plea.

He fined the man €4,500, imprisoned him for 24 months, also ordering that the 18-month suspended jail term rendered effective – bringing his total prison sentence to 42 months.

He also placed the accused under a treatment order for three years and ordered the destruction of the pornographic material. The man is also to be listed on the sex offenders’ register.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto appeared for Falzon.