Man accused of defiling partner's 14-year-old daughter

A man from Qawra has been remanded in custody after he was charged with defiling his partner’s 14-year-old daughter.

The 35-year-old construction worker, whose name was banned from publication in order to protect the victim, was arraigned before Magistrate Astrid May Grima on Friday morning.

The accused pleaded not guilty to charges of corruption of a minor, committing non-consensual sexual acts on a vulnerable person and recidivism. Bail was requested.

Prosecuting Inspector Dorianne Tabone told the court that the prosecution was objecting to bail as the crimes were serious in nature and because of the fact that the victim was his step daughter. He also had a baby with the victim’s mother, explained the inspector.

Defence counsel Franco Debono argued that the alleged acts consisted of touching through clothes. “Defilement encompasses a wide spectrum of actions and there are extremes,” he said. In addition, the accused and the alleged victim did not live together and so the court could order the “total and absolute” separation of the girl and her alleged aggressor. Moreover, the man had categorically denied the allegations in his statement to the police.

Bail was denied, the court ruling so because the case involved a minor and there were witnesses who were yet to testify, as well as because of the nature of the charges.

But Debono protested, pointing out that the prosecution had not brought any of its witnesses to testify today. “They should bring them all, or as many of them as possible, during the arraignment. This procedure needs to change and I’ve been insisting on this for 10 years,” he said.

Debono complained that this practice was leading to people going to prison until witnesses were heard.

The court solicited the prosecution to bring their witnesses to testify in the next sitting.