Teen party organiser charged with corrupting 15-year-old girlfriend

A 24-year-old DJ from Tarxien, who is alleged to be in a relationship with a 15-year-old girl, was remanded in custody this morning, after he was arraigned on charges of corruption of a minor and participating in sexual activities with a minor.

Inspector Sylvana Briffa informed presiding magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona that this was the third time that Joel Caruana had appeared before the courts accused of precisely the same charges.

In 2013 Caruana, a DJ and party organiser, was convicted of defilement when he was pictured cupping the breast of a 14-year-old girl at one of his parties. In 2010 he was sentenced to a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years, for engaging in sexual acts with a 13-year-old girl.

Caruana was also charged with breaching the conditions of a four-year suspended sentence, which he had received in 2013, and relapsing.

Lawyers Veronique Dalli and Dean Hili, for the defence, entered a plea of not guilty and requested bail. The majority of the evidence consisted of conversations over the internet, said the lawyer. As the hard disks of the accused’s computers had been seized and presented in court, there was no risk of him tampering with evidence.

Inspector Briffa, however, objected to bail, pointing out that the victim in this case is a minor and there is a risk of witnesses being approached.

The court upheld the prosecution’s request and remanded the man in custody.