A 56-year-old man was this afternoon charged with performing sexual acts with a 13-year-old girl between 2008 and 2013.

The man, from Cospicua, denied defiling the girl throughout 2013 and the preceding five years.

Defence lawyers Paul and Alessandro Lia requested - and obtained - a ban on the publication of the defendant's name as well as that of the girl, who is now 20 years old. They did not specify a reason to back their request but insisted that the ban covered also his workplace.

Magistrate Marseann Farrugia upheld this request, to which prosecuting officer Josric Mifsud did not object. She ordered journalists in the courtroom to leave out the man's personal details in their reports.

Mr Mifsud specified that the two were not in contact any longer and therefore did not even object to the granting of bail.

The magistrate granted him bail against a deposit of €750 and a €10,000 personal guarantee.

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