Music teacher pleads not guilty to having sex with student, 13
A conductor who teaches music in various bandclubs was remanded in custody today after he pleaded not guilty to defiling and having sex with a 13-year-old girl.
Sources close to the case said the two had been involved in a relationship for more than a year.
Defence lawyer Noel Camilleri asked for his client’s name to be banned as the case involved a minor but the request was denied. The man is also a soldier.
But Prosecutor Melvyn Camilleri argued there should not be a ban on the name of the accused because the only link the accused, Mario Testa, 41, of Qormi, had with the victim was that he used to teach her.
He also called for Mr Testa to be remanded in custody as none of his victims had testified and they frequented the same places. This, he said, might lead to tampering with evidence.
Mr Testa pleaded not guilty to defiling the girl, facilitating her corruption, participating in sexual acts with her and committing a crime he was duty bound to prevent.
Jose Herrera and Veronique Dalli are appearing for the girl.
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46 Comments
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Joe Fenech
Aug 4th 2012, 12:08
Before the first victim comes out, a paedophile would have targeted many other innocent children. This is a well known fact.
I hope that if found guilty, the court serves a very harsh sentence paid for by community work within jail. It is unacceptable that someone trusted by children and parents uses his power to satisfy his weird pleasure.
Joe Fenech
Aug 4th 2012, 11:45
If this guy was teaching at several band clubs, these band clubs should be investigated and the pupils interviewed. The band clubs are liable too as they are the ones responsible for recruitment. Schools do CRB checks. The band clubs are not different and are should be held responsible if they have not followed the right procedures.
I am sure that this is not a one off case and that band clubs and other amateur clubs know the people they recruit very well.
C Muscat
Aug 3rd 2012, 08:55
If this guy and other persons.. males/females.. trusted with our children ...are not able to take care of themselves and of our children .... then let the authorities take care and see that justice is done and a clear message to all that our families are protected either by the civil authorities or by us (as parents). No mercy to such culprits...
John Scerri
Aug 3rd 2012, 07:30
''Sources close to the case said the two had been involved in a relationship for more than a year.''
Familiarity Breeds Contempt and therefore respect for the other individual becomes inexistent.
Humans are animals with a brain which should be capable of reasoning what is good or bad.
Humans are not driven by instinct although in some cases the drive to do animalistic acts is difficult to control for various reasons especially when being provoked by external sources like garments, or the lack of them, or even provocative gestures, and also the ambience of being alone in a room or place.
All other animals don't have such a brain.
They are driven by the instinct to procreate, kill to eat, protect their young and even their owner....all instinct.
By nature males are weaker than females in the human species and males give in more easily, but when a female resists male advances the human male will , in the majority of cases, cease to pester the female.
As the saying goes ....''It takes two to Tango''
Joe Fenech
Aug 4th 2012, 11:27
WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU SAYING???? THIS GIRL WAS 13!! GET IT????
R Axisa
Aug 9th 2012, 14:12
@Joe Fenech - do you think that 13 year old girls are saints???
Christian Falzon
Aug 2nd 2012, 23:51
Its not the way you dress that it counts because everyone can dress what they like but its the way that girls they give too much confidence on the first minute they meet a guy. I see it everyday cause i work in paceville so u cant put everything on the guy cause the teenagers want to explore. Girls teenagers they say that they like mature men.
S.M. Cuschieri
Aug 2nd 2012, 22:43
First of all I find it strange how they already mentioned this guy's name and he has not yet been proven guilty. I thought maybe it is because he is a soldier? Heqq! That goes down nice doesn't it?? More reason for the public to slander the Forces. I am in no way condoning this guy's behaviour but it is pertinent to know ALL the facts before pointing fingers....And these days a twelve year old looks 18-20. What if she lied to him about her age???
Charles J. Buttigieg
Aug 2nd 2012, 21:44
At the age of 16 I used to date girls my age and younger. And I'll say no more.
Joe Fenech
Aug 4th 2012, 19:14
You were 16 NOT 41 !!!!
Steve Schembri
Aug 2nd 2012, 21:06
ah how I wish children are given an instruction manual when they are born!! If you control them - what they wear, where they go, who their friends are - they are bound to get bullied and end up accusing you for all that is happening in their life, if you give them freedom to discover their self and what their mission in life is they are still bound to do mistakes and accuses you and hate you for all the freedom...it's so hard to be a parent! You are bound to do mistakes whatever path you take.
Maybe it was early to say name and all but if he is guilty well...I would want to know if the guy has a history. After all, all the parents did was send her to music lessons. She is only a teen - (peer pressure, arguments with parents because they want her and believe she can do better, rebellion etc etc)...grooming maybe?
I dread the day when my daughter will become a teen...wonder if I will be able to handle her.
Peter Shaw
Aug 2nd 2012, 20:44
If guilty, the teacher must face the music (pun intended)
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Aug 2nd 2012, 22:39
And why were they not remanded in custody?
Paul Zammit
Aug 2nd 2012, 20:15
can't get!
apparently, the court hasn't yet established this guy's guilt init? .... so howcome is his profession and name being slapped in everyone's face already? Can't we wait till he's proclaimed guilty? pluh!
A.f Ellul
Aug 2nd 2012, 19:47
Today, teenagers especially females are tentative for males. How many times girls try to put their father in action for sex, or , how they act on the roads, even, I saw girls with night dresses walking in the streets, they never worry about themselves , what type of clothes they wear in very important not wearing see through from top to bottom. Then they pretend not to look at her. So if she meet with him frequently and dressed sexy, what did you think will happened next? Think about it. Today the bad things are good too. That is the modern teaching.
Doreen Camilleri
Aug 2nd 2012, 20:48
So it's the girl's fault now?!!! Women and girls can dress as they please and should not worry about being molested! They are not on this earth to accomodate men. Are you saying that males are animals and can not control instincts?!!! What a dangerous way of reasoning!!!
Rosalie Cauchi
Aug 2nd 2012, 21:12
You seem like doing the same things and justifying the abuse of minors! Well, I have 3 words for you...SHAME ON YOU!!!
And just because girls dress nice, it does NOT mean that you can touch them..they are not some kind of furniture.. And believe me, the most abuses do not happen because the girl was dressing nice.. But just because the abuser is a manic.
ABUSE DOES WRONG TO THE MINOR AND SUCH EXPERIENCE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN..FULLSTOP!
Melissa Bagley
Aug 3rd 2012, 06:27
Saying that a girl's dress is a/the reason for a man's behaviour demonstrates medieval thinking. You can look, sure, but that does not mean you can touch.
Wenzu Vella
Aug 3rd 2012, 08:23
That women sell their bodies for sex is nothing new or nothing unusual by way of their behaviour and their dress decor. But still, men should remain responsible for their behaviour, especially if the woman is under legal age.
Adrian Gouder
Aug 3rd 2012, 08:39
I agree that today's youth have little or no guidance (or simply reject guidance) on which aspects of themselves they should promote, some simply rejecting the more important aspects about themselves, and taking the easy way out... dress sexy and be noticed. For some then any publicity is good publicity. Some probably do not even understand how this effects others' opinions / thoughts about them.
BUT, one must always keep well in mind that a minor is a minor, and is protected by law. Put simply, if she's a minor, she's out of bounds. If you take the wrong decisions, face the consequences.
Ian Mamo
Aug 3rd 2012, 08:47
To all the women who posted to reply to Mr Ellul.
Kindly note that men are not animals. Women are seductive. It's in our nature to look at women. Women likes the attention. Women tend to dress rather short. Men will look even more. Women likes minor flirting. Men don't know how to stop.
Ian Mamo
Aug 3rd 2012, 08:52
@ Wenzu Vella,
Under age, you are right. But nowadays, a 14 year old, can look as mature as a 20 year old.
Robert Attard
Aug 3rd 2012, 11:10
@Rosalie Cauchi....who told you that you can touch furniture?? I've seen it in a lot of shops 'please do not touch, ask for assistance'.
Rosalie Cauchi
Aug 4th 2012, 01:20
@ Robert Attard
Well done Robert, thumbs up for your MATURE comment I must say!! ;)
Lena Hahn
Aug 4th 2012, 11:17
@ Ian Mamo: 'women tend to dress rather short (sic)'....Really?!
I don't know where some men get these arguments from. I see plenty of males walking around WITHOUT A SHIRT ON, in broad daylight and dark nighttime, IN TOWNS AND VILLAGES...sometimes even with a sorry excuse for 'underpants'.
Not to mention men openly fiddling with themselves in the street, ugh.
Double standards are the order of the day in this country.
C Caruana
Aug 2nd 2012, 18:19
I remember reading a similar case some months ago....the only difference was that the accused was a female and the minor a male.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120210/local/Mother-36-admits-to-sex-with-teenager.406100
However, the majority of those commenting about the latter case did not see anything wrong with, and some even made fun of, the fact that the woman was in a relationship with a male minor. The gender of the accused should not be a factor in these type of cases.
Steve Demicoli
Aug 2nd 2012, 20:25
Of course, Agree 100%
Melissa Bagley
Aug 3rd 2012, 06:31
There are plenty of such cases. Seek major websites such as bbc.co.uk and cnn.com amongst others and ye shall find. Yes, and some of them happened to be teachers in elementary/middle/high schools. And they get the same punishment - jail time.
Joe Fenech
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:50
Investigate local centre and band clubs and you'll be shocked at what goes on !
Carmel (Nenu) Aquilina
Aug 3rd 2012, 00:20
@Sur Joe Fenech,
Fil-Każini tal-Baned u fiċ-Ċentri lokali hemm ħafna nies serji u ta l-affari tagħhom, bħal ma hemm kullimkien,dan ma jfissirx li mhux kullimkien jistgħu jiġru dawn l-affarijiet, kif diġa kellna x-xorti ħażina li nesperjenzaw ilkoll kemm aħna!
B'daqshekk ma jfissirx li kullħadd ħażin!
minn dawn iċ-Ċentri Lokali u mill-każini tal-Baned ħareġ ħafna ġid u ħarġu wisq iżjed irġiel ta' l-affari tagħhom li għamlu ħafna ġid, milli Ħarġu xi ftit mhux wisq tajbin!
Lit-tfal għatihom eżempji tajba u xirqa fid-dar, għallimhom, u ibqa żomm għajnnejk fuqhom kull fejn immoru u ma minn jgħamluha, anke jekk tibgħatom il-knisja xorta mur ħu ħsiebhom, għax dawk uliedek, u int tried tieħu ħsiebhom, u la tafda lill ħadd fejn jidħlu uliedek!
It-tfal huma t-tesori tal-ġenituri, u t-tesori sidhom irid jieħu ħsiebhom billi jindukrahom!
B Attard
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:02
Parents / guardians must be on the alert about their teenagers whereabouts all the time... not when it's too late.
We can't take evreyone and everything for granted.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 2nd 2012, 19:23
Parents should also be on the alert on how their daughers leave their homes dressed ... or undressed?
Matthew Vella
Aug 2nd 2012, 19:33
Yup, parents shouldnt allow their daughters to take music lessons.....
Dont be so quick to judge, it doesnt sound like the parents were reckless as you're implying.
Paul Zammit
Aug 2nd 2012, 20:17
over-policing is awful idea... it just doesn't work. History proves it!
cheers.
Mr mario aquilina
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:02
Nehilhom l-uniformi ghal l-iskola halli jidhru sexy.
Nixba nara tfajliet gejjin mil-iskola u kif jinzlu mil bus ittellaw id dublet il fuq biex jidhru sexy. P.... Teasers.
J. Tabone
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:19
If you're 40 years old you should see them as Children as opposed to sexual objects.
Joe Fenech
Aug 2nd 2012, 16:25
This is a big problem in Malta were youngsters are allowed to mix with adults. Make sure that you introduce enhanced CRB checks.
P Bonnici
Aug 2nd 2012, 18:39
There is nothing wrong with that, let's keep it as it is. In the UK, children are hostile to adults because of the paedophlia indoctrination. I was never abused when I was a boy in Malta.
M Cassar
Aug 3rd 2012, 07:35
This was a music teacher for goodness sake....how can you avoid that students meet teachers? Are you suggesting home schooling perhaps? How about seeing if a person who is in a position of trust as an adult, a teacher and a soldier took advantage of the access he had to a minor or not and then sentence him accordingly?
Joe Fenech
Aug 4th 2012, 11:16
Bonnic and Cassar
You don't seem to understand what a CRB check is! It is just to make sure that people have no history!
Lucienne Dimech
Aug 2nd 2012, 15:35
oh for heaven's sake a relationship? What a light way to use this word how can a twelve year old child ever have a relationship? She might have been infatuated by the manners or looks or anything of a man who could be her father but a relationship come on
Carmel Borg
Aug 2nd 2012, 16:47
Wake up. many 12 year olds are involved in relationships. Being a healthy or an unhealthy one, mature or not, abusive or not, ideal or not, they are still relationships. Unfortunately many of our 12 year old today are allowed to act too much like grown ups.
BTW my sentiments up here are generic and nothing to do with the specific details of this case.
twanny borg
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:10
@carmel borg. naqbel it-tfal tal-lum aqwa min-nanniet. din hija il-verita ghalxejn nitkazaw darba il-progress gab dan ir-rigress haga li hadd ma jista' jzomm.
Joe Fenech
Aug 2nd 2012, 17:49
Carmel Borg
That is due to the widespread ignorance one comes across in Malta and the bad parenting.
But that does not justify grown up men acting as predators.
C Cassar
Aug 2nd 2012, 15:00
Why has this guy been named if the final verdict hasn't been reached? This is quite unbelievable. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Karl Axisa
Aug 2nd 2012, 22:59
That is easy..he is a teacher...thus by default he is guilty until proven innocent. Cheers.
Please choose the reason of your report below: