Updated | Concerns raised over police handling of alleged child abuse cases

The Malta Union of Teachers wrote to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat expressing its deep concern at the way alleged child abuse cases are being treated by the Police, especially where educators are involved.

The union also asked the Office of the Prime Minister to investigate the methodologies being used in such cases and to make the necessary changes in legislation to protect all parties concerned from the abuse of a system which appears to be flawed and incongruent.

A meeting addressing the concerns raised by the MUT was held between MUT officials, Acting Police Commissioner Ray Zammit, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo and ministry officials.

According to a spokesman for the education ministry, the parties involved agreed on the full protections that should be awarded to children while safeguarding the rights of all those involved in the police investigation.

A follow-up meeting between the MUT and the Ministers for Education, Home Affairs and Justice will be held in the coming days to address the issues raised.

MUT, at this stage, is also not excluding the issuance of various directives in the upcoming scholastic year if the situation remains unchanged.

In his letter, MUT president Kevin Bonello wrote that there appears to be no uniform way in how cases of alleged child abuse are investigated.

“In some cases allegations that reach the police are investigated in a highly professional manner and action is taken if and when the police believe they have a case,” he said.

“In other cases it appears that once the allegation reaches the police no investigation is carried out at all and the person who allegedly abused is prosecuted immediately.”

Bonello said it was highly confusing to understand how the courts decide on banning the publication of names, especially when conflicting decisions are taken on individuals facing the same or similar changes.

“This gives rise to concern because it appears that there are two weights and two measures in the way people are treated by the same police force,” he said.

The MUT’s concerns were fuelled by the court case involving MUSEUM catechist Anthony Callus, 46 of Siggiewi, a school assistant, charged with corrupting and harassing a 10-year-old boy at Bahar ic-Caghaq on Sunday 24 August.

Sources close to the case said Callus has since suspended himself from his post as treasurer at MUSEUM and also from his post as an assistant head at school of the church’s St Michael’s school in Santa Venera.
The alleged incident occurred on Sunday 24 August, when the accused was swimming at Bahar ic-Caghaq during a MUSEUM event. At some point in time, Callus “grabbed the 10-year-old boy from his waist and lifted him out of the water.” This, according to the prosecution, then led to the accused “slightly brushing the boy’s genitalia.”
Sources close to the case said that the boy was lifted from a deep part of the sea before he fell back in. The accused then lifted the boy again and the boy perceived this as being tantamount to indecent assault.

The MUT has now raised questions on the police inspector involved in the case, with Bonello pointing out that it was the same inspector involved in the case of another educator that has been dragging on for the past three years before the Gozo courts.

“In both cases it clearly appears that the persons involved were simply arrested and prosecuted without any proper investigation into the case. The Union wonder whether this is a coincidence or otherwise. This methodology is ruining the lives of educators who are involved, who end up being suspended from their work or having to resign, after their personal and professional reputation is literally rubbished on a simple allegation,” Bonello said.

He went on to tell the Prime Minister that the methodology apparently being applied by this inspector or the police force “literally means that all one needs to do to get rid of the educator who disciplined a son or a daughter is simply turn up at the police station and allege abuse”.

“If one takes the Gozo case as an example, the educator would need years to clear his or her name. In the meantime, the person passes through hell, in a literal sense, with an automatic suspension especially if in the civil service, a tarnished reputation and thousands spent to pay defence lawyers.

“The methodology in question is also proving to be a death blow for many initiatives taken by educators within the context of extracurricular activities, and an even harder blow on NGOs who provide voluntary service to children. Outings, live-ins, exchanges abroad and similar activities will most definitely be affected. The MUT has been inundated with calls and emails from educators in various schools and volunteers in various organisations expressing their concern.”