Clerical sex abuse case to continue behind closed doors, magistrate rules

A case involving sexual abuse charges against two priests will continue being heard behind closed doors, a magistrate in the Gozo court has ruled.

Magistrate Bridgette Sultana, on Monday, accepted a request by the defence for the case to continue being heard behind closed. She also ordered a ban on the publication of the priests’ names.

The case started being heard last January when the two Gozitan priests, aged 84 and 70, were charged with sexually abusing an altar boy several years back. The abuse allegedly started when the altar boy was eight years old. He is now in his 20s and is the main witness in the case. He is currently receiving holistic therapy abroad.

 The court had heard the victim testify of the abuse he suffered at the hands of the priests. In one instance, he was also raped.

The victim said that one of the priests tried to buy his silence by paying him every time the abuse took place.

Other witnesses, including Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma and Andrew Azzopardi from the church’s Safeguarding Commission, had also testified.

In the last sitting, Magistrate Monica Vella - who was presiding the case - ruled there was enough evidence for the bill of indictment to be issued against the two priests.