A man was yesterday jailed for six years for the repeated sexual abuse of his 15-year-old daughter while she visited him against her mother’s wishes and a court order banning any contact between them.

The 49-year-old man from Cospicua, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the girl, used to abuse her at his home in 2001 before she spoke up and told her mother about it.

Testifying in the case, the teenager gave details of the sexual assaults and said her father also showed her pornography.

She told the court that on her several visits he had always promised her that nothing would happen but then asked her not to tell anyone about what took place between them as he would get into trouble.

He asked her not to tell anyone about what took place between them as he would get into trouble

The girl has started visiting her father because her older sister did so. She went behind her mother’s back and in the process also ignored a court order banning her from any contact with her father, the court heard.

The girl’s mother told the court that she was separated from her husband and the ban was part of the separation contract.

She did not specify why the ban was in place but did say that her daughter had once been given whisky by her father and ended up in hospital.

The girl had also spent some time at Dar Fejda, a home for girls with behavioural problems.

The girl’s older sister said that her father had contacted her and said he was going to end up in prison.

She said that while her sister never spoke of any sexual abuse, she did notice her behaviour change and she became very nervous.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said the six-year prison term was near the maximum.

Police Inspector Anthony Cassar prosecuted.