Jailed for abusing six-year-old as he visited her sick grandfather

A 62-year-old man from Birkirkara has been jailed for four years, and his name placed on the Sex Offenders Register, after he was found guilty by a court of having abused of a six-year-old girl, while he visited her dying grandfather.

The man - whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons - was charged with corrupting the minor and indecent exposure.

He was arrested in October 2007, after the girl had returned from school and spoke to her mother about a class she had by representatives from Sedqa who talked to the children on how to confront cases of abuse.

The girl had opened up to her mother, only to partially relate her ordeal, and referred her to professional help at Sedqa and Appogg, where the truth came out on what happened with the accused.

She said that while the accused used to visit her dying grandfather at his house, she used to play in the room next door.

The accused at times would work the grandfather's fields, and when he used to leave the dying man's bedside, he would lure the girl telling her that they would be playing with beads, and then abuse her by touching her, and exposing himself.

He used to tell her to shut the door so that her three-year-old brother would not disrupt their game.

The girl became so traumatised that she needed lengthy sessions of psychological therapy.

The man had defended himself by saying that he suffered from hernia and would at times turn around, put his hands into his pants to push the protruding hernia back inside.

But the court noted that the accused was quite confused when giving evidence, one time admitting to lifting the girl from her waist, and then change his version to admit to lifting the girl from between her legs.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said that the court had no doubt on young girl's credibility who remained constant in her evidence, who was specific in her details.

The man was jailed for four years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register.