Marsa mayor resigns after party receives anonymous letter

Marsa mayor Chris Spiteri was asked to resign by the Labour Party after the latter received an anonymous letter reporting sexual misconduct with minors by Spiteri.

A spokesman for the Labour Party confirmed that they received the letter on Monday and sent for Spiteri on Tuesday. The former mayor was asked whether the contents of the letter were true and was immediately asked to resign when he confirmed.

The anonymous letter - also sent to a number of news media - claimed that a psychiatrist testifying before the ecclesiastical tribunal during Spiteri's annulment proceedings said that Spiteri had admitted to sexual relationships with minors.

"No police charges had been filed so we couldn't know about this incident," a spokesman for the PL told MaltaToday, adding that the information had only surfaced at the ecclesiastical tribunal.

"Obviously, when we received the letter we called for him and asked him to step down after he confirmed the information."

Spiteri was elected mayor of Marsa during last March's local council elections, replacing former mayor Frans Debono.