The victim felt her life was ruined. Photo: Shutterstock

A former soldier who taught music in band clubs has been jailed for five years for having sex with a 13-year-old student who ended up falling in love with him.

The girl was devastated when her 41-year-old music teacher Mario Testa stopped showing interest in her after a relationship.

“We almost lost our daughter because of him. She tried to end her life several times. Our message to parents is to stand by your daughters – or sons – in such cases and don’t take it against them. Had we done that, we could have lost her,” the girl’s parents told The Sunday Times of Malta.

The parents said that after Mr Testa was charged with defiling their daughter in 2012 several people tried to pin the blame on her. But, on Friday, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli found Mr Testa, who is now 44, guilty.

“He took advantage of the fact that the minor was going through a phase when she was becoming a young woman and discovering her sexuality... he solicited her interest by showing her things so he could have his way with her – until she became infatuated and she could not understand how he suddenly left her after what happened between them,” the magistrate said.

The abuse came to light when the girl’s parents noticed she had become aggressive and started saying she’d had enough of life. They took her to a psychiatrist and, eventually, she opened up.

Stand by your daughters and don’t take it against them

In her testimony, the teenager, now 16, said Mr Testa taught her music at a band club (which is not being named to protect her identity). She also communicated with him through online messaging platform MSN for several months.

She would lock her bedroom door, undress and turn on her webcam at his request. They also met and he told her not to tell anybody.

After a while he stopped contacting her and lost interest. The 13-year-old was very upset especially when she learnt other girls were involved.

In his testimony, Mr Testa said the girl dressed provocatively and told him she wanted “an adventure”.

He said he took her out for an ice cream to tell her it was not right since he was married. But, he said, she insisted and told him she wanted to see his apartment.

The magistrate felt the girl’s version was more credible. Even if, for the sake of argument, the girl did provoke him, as an adult he should have acted responsibly.

Instead, he took advantage of the situation, she ruled.

He was jailed for five years and the magistrate ordered that his name be listed on the sex offenders’ register.

The parents of the girl, represented by lawyers Veronique Dalli and Dean Hili, said the punishments should be even harsher.

Thankfully, they said, their daughter was doing well and had successfully passed her O levels.

“She wants to work in the health sector so that she can help people going through such experiences,” her mother said.