A 53-year-old man from Cospicua was this morning jailed five years after he was found guilty of defiling his nine-year-old daughter.

Taking the witness stand the girl's mother, who has since left her husband, said that their nine-year-old daughter had informed her that her father had touched her breasts six or seven times.

This happened at the Addolorata Cemetery on three occasions and at a cemetery in Guardamangia in other instances.

The father had also touched the girl's private parts in the matrimonial bed when the daughter was lying down between her parents and the mother was asleep.

The wife told the court about her husband's aggressiveness and said that he used to beat her up. She said the family lived in fear of the man.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani said she found the girl's version of events to be credible.

Taking the witness stand the girl said several times she loved her father and could not understand why he had to put her through such horrible experiences.

The court pushed and questioned the girl she remained solid in her testimony.

The father always denied guilt.