Malta's Ambassador to Ireland resigns

Malta's Ambassador to Ireland, Richard Muscat, resigned yesterday after being subjected to media pressure in Ireland over an alleged sexual assault by his 35-year-old son.

Mr Muscat's son was questioned by Irish police in connection with an incident in Dublin last October. Charges have not yet been brought in the case.

A 20-year-old Irish student filed a police report saying she was sexually assaulted in a park in Dublin.

When contacted on Friday, Mr Muscat described the incident as "minor" and denied that it revolved around sexual assault. He also said he saw no reason why he should resign.

However, yesterday Mr Muscat told The Sunday Times that he was a sacrificial lamb and a victim of attacks by the "vicious" Irish media. He said although he was happy in his job, the situation made his job untenable.

Mr Muscat's term as ambassador was extended last month by a year.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo, who according to his spokesman only found out about the allegations through the Irish media in recent days, accepted Mr Muscat's resignation yesterday.

The ministry has also formally waived diplomatic immunity with regard to Mr Muscat's son.

According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, diplomatic immunity ensures that diplomats are not considered susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws. It applies to all offences and can be waived by the sending country.

In the letter, which was published by the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday, Mr Muscat said Irish media have made "unfounded and defamatory" attacks about his son. He said that, although these claims do not have any legal or factual basis, he had to consider the effects they would have on his and the embassy's work.

He pointed out that 10 months after the alleged incident took place no action had been taken against his son.

When contacted, a spokesman for the Irish police said they could not identify a suspect. He said the file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether to press charges. Although police said the man suspected of sexual assault was a "non-national", they would not confirm he was Maltese.

Mr Muscat said the police had listened to his son's side of the story, which contradicted the complainant's report. Moreover, he said, his son suffered from mental health problems, something that had been confirmed by his psychiatrist.

According to Irish media, 20-year-old student Christina Leech-Cleary was walking home through Dublin's Herbert Park Road in the afternoon on October 24 last year, when she was confronted by a man who asked for directions.

The man then grabbed her, dragged her down the road and placed his hand down her top. The woman managed to escape, however, and contacted the police.