Court bans name, occupation of alleged harasser
A magistrate yesterday ordered a ban on the identity and vocational occupation of a man charged with harassing a woman and offending public morals, the police said.
The 38-year-old man from Mosta pleaded not guilty to committing the offences in Dwejra, Gozo, on Wednesday.
Magistrate Paul Coppini, who presided over the arraignment in the Gozo law courts, put off the case to October 9, the police said in a statement.
When asked about the man's occupation and why the magistrate had ordered the ban on his identity, the police's communications section said they did not have such information.
When this paper insisted on a reply the police said there was a ban on the man's identity because of his occupation. The ban, a spokesman for the police said, also covered the publication of the man's vocational occupation.
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10 Comments
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debbie bugeja
Sep 23rd 2008, 16:39
The court should be the place where to protect the victim not the abuser.
but I guess its working the other way round
Antony Caruana
Sep 22nd 2008, 21:01
It does not matter to the gossip mongers if this person is innocent or guilty. I say no one should have there name disclosed unless proven guilty and if there crime is so bad then the judge may not give bail. we should have the same system for people from all walks of life.
Joseph Schembri
Sep 22nd 2008, 19:57
Whatever the alleged crime is, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and publishing names at this stage should never be done. Don't we have enough to gossip about?
Charles Sammut
Sep 22nd 2008, 19:55
@ Joseph Schembri
Yes of course, but why were the names of the 4 alleged sex offenders from Nadur published and not this one? Should not everybody be equal in the eyes of the law? Or are some more equal than others?
It would have been much better if this ban on name and occupation had not been ordered because everyone and his dog know it anyway.
What's more, the institution to which this man belongs should be and appear to be transparent unless it has something to hide.
Joseph Schembri
Sep 22nd 2008, 19:27
Whatever the alleged crime is, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty and publishing names at this stage should never be done. Don't we have enough to gossip about?
Louis Gatt
Sep 22nd 2008, 16:24
Will anyone please enlighten me why the Court decides to ban the identity of such law breakers?
Amadeo Vella
Sep 22nd 2008, 12:44
VOCATIONAL OCCUPATION?
That means he is a type of carer i guess. So he is accused of harassment and they protect him because of a vocational career, are they scared that more people he might have harassed might come forward and accuse him? It will all be swept under the carpet as usual most probably. The legal system here in Malta stinks.
Charles Sammut
Sep 22nd 2008, 10:46
Too late, it was all over the news on the radio.
And in any case, "vocational occupation" narrows it down considerably.
malcolm seychell
Sep 22nd 2008, 10:32
Of course cover his name because he is a so called 'man of god'
Edward Zammit
Sep 22nd 2008, 09:49
Yes let's protect the one's who are supposed to set an example and help people but do exactly the contrary.