Gozitan priest released on bail after witnesses testify

A Gozitan priest charged with the defilement of three young girls was today granted bail against a deposit of €1,000 and a €5,000 personal after the alleged victims – whom the court has heard are from Fontana, Victoria, and Xewkija – testified.

In its decree handed down this afternoon in Gozo, the court, presided by Magistrate Neville Camilleri, ruled that since the victims testified in the compilation of evidence against Fr Jesmond Gauci, the court has to grant bail.

In his conditions for bail, the young priest has been prohibited from approaching the victims and their homes and was also ordered to stay in and around his house in Xaghra.

Despite the police being prohibited from publishing the charges, Fr Jesmond Gauci, 41, of Xaghra, known as ‘Il-Papa’, is said to be facing charges of defilement of minors and misuse of technology, amongst others. Sources close to the case said that the alleged abuse took place up until some months ago and is said to have involved at least three minors.

However, last week, the defence, Lawyer Carmelo Galea, told the court that no sexual contact took place, and that the accused merely “grabbed their breast from behind.” Moreover, the defence insisted that the alleged victims are no longer minors, more so because one of the girls is 17 years old.

Moreover, the court heard that the accused sent “improper text messages” to the victims.

Sources told MaltaToday that the priest, who is in his early 40s, has been a priest for around 10 to 12 years and he was recently employed as a religion teacher at a boys’ secondary state school in Hamrun. Sources also said that the accused is known as Il-Papa, while it was also claimed that the priest was said to have been in the company of 15-year-old girls in a boat.

A Gozo court had initially banned the publication of Fr Gauci’s name and the sitting was held behind closed doors. However, a few days later, the police filed an appeal, claiming that the ban should be lifted because the case is “nothing special and that the accused and the victims are not relatives.”

Moreover, the Attorney General had filed an appeal against Fr Gauci’s bail. In its submissions, the AG’s office had claimed that there is fear of the accused tampering with evidence, and that witnesses were afraid to come forward.

In his decision last Thursday, Judge Michael Mallia upheld the AG’s appeal and consequently ordered that Fr Jesmond Gauci be remanded in custody.