Ex-mini-bus driver confesses to defiling young passenger

A former mini-bus driver yesterday admitted to violently indecently assaulting a 12-year-old passenger he met on a school run after the two exchanged phone numbers.

The unemployed 34-year-old, Conrad Galea, had met the girl on the mini-bus he drove to take children to school and the two started talking.

After some time, they exchanged phone numbers and met last Friday, when they also kissed, police sources said. But the girl stopped and left when Mr Galea tried to go further, the sources added.

The girl's mother found out about their meeting and text messages they had exchanged. She took her daughter to the police station where a report was made.

Details of the case were discussed at the bench between Magistrate Edwina Grima, the prosecution and the defence and, subsequently, defence lawyer Gianella Caruana Curran said her client would file a guilty plea.

In fact, Mr Galea admitted to violently indecently assaulting the girl, defiling her, corrupting her and offending public morals.

Police Inspector Fabian Fleri said Mr Galea had fully cooperated with the police throughout the investigations and had a relatively clean police record.

The court handed down a two-year jail term suspended for two years.