A man was taken to court today and accused of violent indecent assault on a 19-year-old girl from Naxxar when he was meant to be giving her a lift home.

David Galea, 21 of Zebbug pleaded not guilty to assaulting Christina Xuereb, harassing her and slightly injuring her and relapsing on Saturday night.

During the arraignment, defence counsel Jose' Herrera said his client was admitting that he tried to kiss the woman, but this was definitely not a case of violent indecent assault.

He said the victim had actually sent a number of SMS messages to the accused where she apologised for what had happened and for filing a police report, saying she was completely drunk and did not know what she was doing.

The SMSs were displayed in court.

Police Inspector Roderick Agius said the defence conveniently forgot to mention an SMS which the accused had sent to the woman where he told her that he liked her a lot and where he himself apologised for what he had done to her.

The inspector said the girl had told the police that the accused exposed himself in the car and tried to kiss her.

Dr Herrera said the girl's British boyfriend had threatened to kill the accused and the accused had filed a police report even before she filed her own report to the police.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia granted bail against a deposit of €3,000.

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