Fr Charles Fenech yesterday.Fr Charles Fenech yesterday.

The Dominican friar facing sex abuse charges yesterday made his first public appearance since the allegations were revealed last month.

Fr Charles Fenech showed up in court for a separate criminal defamation case before Magistrate Francesco Depasquale.

He had previously skipped court three times over the abuse charges, presenting medical certificates that he was not fit to appear.

The criminal defamation case against him has been going on for the past six months and is being heard behind closed doors.

The case, in which the police are prosecuting, was instigated by Edgar Bonnici Cachia, the man who is helping one of the priest’s alleged victims.

Since it is heard behind closed doors, with a ban on its publication, details of the case are very limited.

Yesterday was the first time Fr Fenech appeared in court, in the presence of journalists, since the story broke about the sex abuse allegations.

Upon emerging from court, Fr Fenech refused to reply to any questions regarding the claims being made against him. Accompanied by one of his lawyers, Lucio Sciriha, Fr Fenech was expressionless as he walked ahead.

The complainant, a woman in her 40s, who was also present in court yesterday, is claiming Fr Fenech sexually abused her during the course of a relationship spanning a number of years.

She alleges that the abuse started while she was being treated at Mount Carmel Hospital.

After The Sunday Times of Malta broke the story last month that the 54-year-old priest was facing criminal charges, the Dominican Order issued a statement saying that Fr Fenech had been stopped from exercising his duties as a priest and was removed from his post as director of the Kerygma Movement.

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