Jailed for defiling child

A man was yesterday jailed for six months for performing a lewd act in front of his next door neighbour’s child on the beach at Rinella five years ago.

The neighbours had been the best of friends when the incident, witnessed by the child’s father, took place. Because they were neighbours, Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani banned publication of any details of those involved.

The court heard that on the day in question, the boy and the man had gone for a walk along the rocks at Rinella Bay. The man told the child to accompany him to a cave by the shoreline. At one point, the child’s father went looking for them and witnessed the man performing a lewd act in the presence of his son. He called out to them but did not confront the accused. Instead, he went straight to the police station with the boy to make a report.

When questioned, the accused said he was only urinating but the child told investigators saw nothing of the sort but was in fact told by the accused to watch him as he committed the lewd act.

The accused testified he had been impotent for the past three years, was a diabetic and had a triple bypass operation, which made it very difficult for him to have sexual stimulation.

His personal medical doctor confirmed the condition but said it was possible for the accused to have some stimulation.

The court noted that although the claims of medical conditions related to impotency might be true, the version of events given by the accused was not credible.

He was jailed for six months for defiling the child and offending public morals.