Teacher acquitted of defiling minor

The court acquitted a 62-year-old man of Santa Venera of defiling a 10-year-old girl and offending public morals.

In June 2006, the girl's father filed a police report alleging his daughter was sexually abused by one of her teachers at the Zabbar Primary School. The girl was in Year 3 and after school she attended private lessons in a garage close to the man's residence in St Venera.

The girl had told her parents the teacher had touched her private parts from underneath her pinafore skirt while she stood up to read in class. She alleged the same happened when she attended his private lessons.

She also claimed that there were also instances where she was wearing trousers and that the man pulled down her zip, put his hand in her knickers and touched her. The pupil alleged there could have been another girl who was also abused. The girl also claimed her teacher bought her gifts and gave her books but she was scared to tell her mother.

She resorted to opening up with her younger sister who she knew would run to tell their mother. Details of the happenings were written in the girl's diary which was given to the police.

A social worker employed at the Child Protection Unit confirmed there were no other reports regarding the teacher. The other pupil highlighted by the 10-year-old had denied all claims. Other parents also described the teacher as a man of honour.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said the court had serious doubts as to the child's allegations. The child claimed she was abused while reading at school, but the court argued that it was difficult to understand how the other 23 students never witnesses anything. Furthermore the alleged victim only spoke about the abuse after two years.

Furthermore the claim that another student could have been abused proved in the negative. In the diary exhibited by the prosecution, the court only found notes that the kid had lost her academic motivation in Year 2, however with the help of the accused she had regained interest. The diary contained nothing referring to sexual abuse.

Magistrate Demicoli decreed the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted the accused.