Elderly man denies molesting hotel waiter

An unwanted sexual advance has landed an elderly gentleman in trouble with the law, accused of a sex crime.

Inspector Alfredo Mangion arraigned Michael James Ebzery, 67, from Australia on a charge of having committed a non-consensual act of a sexual nature on a waiter at the hotel he was staying at.

The inspector explained that the victim had told his superiors about an incident where the accused had allegedly kissed his neck without invitation and then made other unwanted advances. The waiter’s management had then gone to the police. 

Lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran and Giannella Demarco entered a not guilty plea, explaining to the court that the accused had been on holiday and was due to leave on Monday but was ready to bind himself to stay and live at another hotel or alternative accommodation until the case was decided.

The elderly accused was mostly silent during the arraignment. “He has never been arraigned in court about anything in his entire life,” Demarco said.

The court banned the publication of the name of the victim, but denied the defence’s request to hear the case behind closed doors.

The court, however, did uphold a defence request for bail, ordering the man to pay a deposit of €1,500, provide a personal guarantee of €2,500 and sign a bail book daily.