A legal loophole that allows registered sex offenders to organise parties for underage teenagers needs to be closed, the Children’s Commissioner has insisted.

Promoter Joel Caruana, the 24-year-old who was twice convicted of engaging in sexual activity with minors, cannot by law be stopped from holding parties for under 18s.

This is because the law regulating the sex offenders’ register does not cover party organisers, who rent establishments in which to organise their events.

“The [Children’s Commissioner’s] office recommends that the Protection of Minors Act be amended so as to clearly include the requirement for persons who rent out an establishment for the purposes of organising an activity – which children can attend – to be vetted by the owner of the establishment,” a spokesman for the Commissioner said. The law regulates people who recruit, engage or employ a registered person. It forbids registered offenders from being employed in institutions that involve minors. But a person who organises an event is not technically employed by the owner of the venue.

Last weekend, Mr Caruana organised an event themed ‘Girls’ Invasion’ – for girls as young as 17 – in a Paceville club. He came under scathing criticism on social media and, speaking to The Sunday Times of Malta, denied any wrongdoing.

More in Times of Malta ad the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium. See also http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150301/local/sex-offender-still-holding-parties-aimed-at-girls-of-17.557989

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