51 persons were imprisoned for paedophilia between 2009 and last year, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia told Deo Debattista (PL) in reply to a parliamentary question.

There were 12 in 2009, 12 in 2010, nine in 2011, 10 in 2012 and eight in 2013.

Dr Mallia added that the sense of total abandonment at the prisons under the previous administration meant that individual therapy for paedophilia was hardly ever given.

But things were changing and more psychologists were being engaged with a view to extending the service.

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