Man charged with raping daughter

A 35-year old father who held a three-year-old girl in his arms whilst filming lewd acts with a woman, this morning faced a jury of nine as proceedings against him began.

He was charged with raping his own eight-year-old daughter , keeping her against her will, subjection her to abusive behaviour, and defiling her and another, unrelated three-year-old girl.

The case goes back to 11 October 2006, when acting on reports filed by the mother of the older girl, the police closed in on the accused. The woman had alleged her husband had raped their daughter.

Talking to investigators and social workers, the girl gave details of how her father used to perform lewd acts in front of her, touch his genitals with her private parts and have sex with her. The acts caused her pain and she would repeatedly attempt to make her father stop.

Officers heard how it seemed that the accused drew pleasure and satisfaction from performing abusive and immoral acts with his daughter.

During the course of investigations, the police retrieved a recording that the man had filmed in August 2006. The tape showed the accused engaging in sexual activities with another woman, while holding a three-year-old girl in his arms. Faced with this finding, the accused had told investigators that the woman in the recording was not aware she was being taped.

This morning, after the nine jurors and three reserves were chosen, the prosecution read the charges to the accused. The charge of violent rape on a minor of less than nine years by a parent carries a jail term between three and 30 years. For holding the girl against her will and subjecting her to abusive behavior, the jail term is between 13 months and five years.

Furthermore, an imprisonment of between three and 12 years will be added if the man is convicted over committing lewd acts which led to the defilement, both physically and mentally, of the eight-year-old girl. The defilement of the three-year-old girl is punishable by an imprisonment of between three and six years.

Lawyers Philip Galea Farrugia and Nadia Camilleri are prosecuting on behalf of the office of the Attorney General. Dr Joe Brincat is appearing for the accused.

Due to the nature of the case, Mr Justice Michael Mallia ruled that the jury is heard behind closed doors. The court ruled, that for the protection of the two girls the name of the accused, the victims and their home towns cannot be named in the media.