Father of two accused of repeatedly raping 9 year-old daughter
VIce Squad investigation triggered after victim's 7 year-old sister tells school counsellor of suicidal thoughts
DIsturbing content warning: this report deals with accusations of rape and incest involving minors
A 49 year-old father of two is being held without bail after being charged on Saturday with having repeatedly raped his 9-year-old daughter.
During the man’s arraignment, Duty Magistrate Anne Marie Thake imposed a ban on the defendant, a German man living in St. Paul’s Bay, being named in news reports, to avoid the identification and secondary victimisation of his children.
Police inspector Wayne Buhagiar, prosecuting together with lawyer Cynthia Tomasuolo from the Office of the Attorney General, told the court that the defendant has two female children, aged 7 and 9.
The younger girl had been referred to a guidance teacher after she remarked in class that she wanted to kill herself. She had later explained to the guidance teacher that she had seen her father and her older sister interacting in the nude.
The 9 year-old girl was then spoken to, describing to the counsellor how she had been raped by her father on three separate occasions. Child Protection Services were immediately notified and the police arrested the man.
Police inspector Wayne Buhagiar, prosecuting together with lawyer Cynthia Tomasuolo from the Office of the Attorney General, charged the man with aggravated rape, aggravated illegal confinement, aggravated commission of non-consensual sexual acts, aggravated defilement of a minor, subjecting the child to unwanted sexual behaviour and causing her to fear that violence would be used against her.
A plea of not guilty was filed. Lawyer Ilona Schembri, assisting the defendant as legal aid counsel, made no request for bail.
Lawyers Jacob Magri and Maria Claire Ellul are appearing on behalf of the two children, as parte civile.