A priest facing sex abuse charges was yesterday remanded in custody by a judge who overturned a magistrate’s decision to bail him.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia ruled Fr Jesmond Gauci, 38, should be held under preventive arrest until the alleged victims testify.

Fr Gauci, of Xagħra, appeared before Magistrate Paul Coppini in the Gozo court last week accused of sexually abusing three girls.

Defence lawyer Carmelo Galea asked for the sitting to be held behind closed doors and for bail to be granted and the magistrate acceded. Both the Attorney General and the police then appealed.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri lifted the ban allowing the publication of his name later in the week.

In a sitting before Mr Justice Mallia yesterday, AG office lawyer Kristina Debattista argued in such cases it was unheard of for the accused to be granted bail before the victims’ testimony was heard.

This had special significance given that Gozo was a very small community with a high possibility of the accused and the alleged victims meeting. She was concerned by the mental pressure on the girls, adding there was a real fear that evidence could be tampered with.

Producing birth certificates, Dr Galea said not all were still minors and they were afraid to testify as the truth would come out.

Dr Galea said the accused was not a paedophile. There was no sexual contact: he had allegedly groped one of the victims’ breasts and improper text messages were sent.

In revoking the magistrate’s decision, Mr Justice Mallia ruled that, once the victims testified, bail would come into force again.