Man charged with indecent exposure at beach

A 57-year-old man who exposed himself in front of children while swimming at Dawret it-Tunnara in Mellieħa has been remanded in custody.

Claudio Perossa, an Italian man from St Paul’s Bay, was caught masturbating in the sea in the presence of children, including a six-year-old girl.

Appearing before Magistrate Rachel Montebello, the man was charged with carrying out the indecent acts on two separate days in the same location, despite having been called out by parents the first time around.

Police Inspector John Spiteri told the court that Perossa, who hails from Trieste, had been found guilty of similar crimes in Italy.

Spiteri explained to the court that the man was first seen carrying out the indecent acts by parents of children swimming in the area on Wednesday, 15 July. However, he left the place when he noticed that adults saw him.

But Perossa returned to the same swimming zone three days later in the presence of children and parents who had been there the other day.

The police said that one of the parents had dived underwater to confirm that the Italian man was swimming naked and masturbating.

Perossa was denied bail. Lawyer Mark Vella Fenech acted as defence counsel.