Italians grope French woman in the street

J Galea

Aug 19th 2012, 21:21

These suspended sentences are making a complete mockery of our justice system. Sexual assault involving 4 persons - a group- in broad daylight and public view is a very very serious offence in some civilized countries. There is clearly aggravating factors at play here. These people should have been slapped with at least a 7 day jail sentence, a fine to cover the costs of this and a clear eviction order so they are removed from the country. And it was even reported that the lady refused their apology. Now how is that a surprise? Let's see some tougher sentencing which need not involve month long sentences.

Gustav Svensson

Aug 19th 2012, 19:34

The maltese legal system is a complete joke. Suspended sentence..

Joe Morana

Aug 19th 2012, 14:29

So the perpetrators of this crime got their kicks and possibly 'got off' by groping the woman, then having heard how lenient Maltese corts were they decided to show contrition and plead guity. Good tourism promotion for horny Italian men, not so good for innocent French female tourists.

Victor Pulis

Aug 19th 2012, 12:24

What do the parents of the victim think of this parody of justice? What message are the courts of law(!) passing on to law abiding citizens? What happens when the law doesn't protect its citizens? The answer is obviousfor those who want to read it.

James Dewar

Aug 19th 2012, 11:54

Yes such a pity that the court did not comply with her request.

Edmond Micallef

Aug 19th 2012, 11:30

'Jailed for five months suspended for one year' = practically no penalty at all.

Last week we heard the petty excuse that the law breakers got a silly fine for their crime due to being forgiven by the aggrieved party.

Now we have a case where the victim did not forgive her abusers. And what did they get? A suspended sentence.

Victor Pulis

Aug 19th 2012, 10:58

This sentence is an insult not just to the French lady but to all women walking the streets of Malta.To all prospective women molesters; If planning an assault keep your hands out of the clothes and if caught apologise!

Victor Pulis

Aug 19th 2012, 10:54

So she didn't forgive them like in the Marsaxlokk case. So why were they not given adequate punishment consistent with their crime? The fact that they kept their hands outside her clothes is beside the point. They ganged up on her and assaulted her privacy. The courts are a joke.Can anyone do whatever one likes as long as one apologises after (If) one is caught?

Mary Mills

Aug 19th 2012, 10:45

Those mamma's boys could do with a hiding to straighten them out, put them in their place!

Mr Tony Gatt

Aug 19th 2012, 10:36

"However, she quickly replied that she did not accept the apology and wanted the men to be punished."

At last- someone with spirit. This 'forgiveness' is a sham. But they got the usual cop-out of a suspended sentence.

Carmel Debono

Aug 19th 2012, 10:31

Quite a high price to pay, when one considers that it only costs EUR 60 to punch someone in the face!

Alex Ciantar

Aug 19th 2012, 10:23

Bet she was disappointed with the punishment. I was. Too bad they didn't have a joint on them, then they would have got 10 years.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 19th 2012, 10:00

Was there need for the woman to be asked to forgive them by the courts? To what end? So that they would be given a present instead of a shameful suspended sentence?

John Grech

Aug 19th 2012, 09:44

The assaults and abuse on women on this Island will continue unabated, until the women of this Island get off their tush
and demonstrate in front of he courts and demand change in the Law.. The courts are twisted and seem to favor the abusers
verses the abused. It's great place to be for the "Good Old Boys" do as you please, just don't put him in six feet under..

Maria Debono

Aug 19th 2012, 09:41

good for Ms Maillaird, I am glad she did not forgive these dirty louts, we do not need the likes of them in Malta. It's people like them who give Malta a bad name

George Attard

Aug 19th 2012, 09:40

I really don t have the words to express how shocked I am to hear how these men got away with this crime. The poor woman must have been so scared. What if it were at night or in a more secluded area?

What message does this appalling sentence send to women in Malta? That the law cannot protect its own citizens even from foreigners? Can t the court see that this may have caused psychological to the victim?

No one is safe anymore. With no harsh sentences for people who disturb the peace, beat up people in public, sexually assault woman in broad daylight, and run over people with reckless driving, we are at the mercy of these people with no hope of ever seeing justice.

Charles Vassallo

Aug 19th 2012, 09:28

Whoa now….hold your horses. ‘Don't shoot your mouth off before knowing the facts.’ (ABC. A Quick Lesson, 15/08/2012)

(sic)
Quick Lesson Part Two: the presiding Magistrate would have passed sentence based on what was brought in evidence before him. Unlike the Commenting Classes, Judges and Magistrates don't base themselves on what the media choose to report but on evidence. Given that the yobs pleaded guilty, on astute legal advice, all the Magistrate had before him was the charge sheet, which presumably related to the bare facts, and thus certainly insufficient to throw the animals into the clink, throwing away the key thereafter. For a simple bit of disturbance, a €60 fine isn't unheard of. Moral of this part of the lesson: don't shoot your mouth off before knowing the facts.

Quick Lesson Part Three: we operate under the rule of law, which means all of the above, to which you need to add the following maxim, namely, "Stop fussing".

I just wonder what rule of law are we really operating under on this tiny rock. Some years back I had read this interesting quote “No, I think that we've got a basic discrepancy here between the rule of law versus the rule of man.”

Nevertheless, what’s all the fuss about!? I mean (sic) the courts had only a charge sheet, which presumably related to the bare facts (you know, just indecent assault) and thus certainly insufficient to throw the animals into the clink!

Did she forgive them or accept their apology…. No! She wanted them punished and rightly so, and all they received was… a suspended sentence. Prosit tassew.