Two men appeared in court this afternoon in connection with police investigations which uncovered a local child sex abuse ring.
The arraignments came a day after three men were charged in court with similar offences involving underage boys. It is alleged that the men paid the adolescents in exchange for them performing sex acts on them.
The first man arraigned today was a 66-year-old from Zejtun, who pleaded guilty to coercing a 15-year-old boy into prostitution or into participating in a pornographic performance and to participating in sexual activities with a minor.
The charges carry up to five years imprisonment each. Police inspector Joseph Busuttil told Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona that the prosecution would be satisfied with a sentence of three years.
The magistrate jailed the accused for two years and nine months and ordered a three-year treatment order, saying that he "did not believe in incarceration."
Court discrepancies
The magistrate upheld lawyer Carm Mifsud Bonnici's request for a ban on the publication of the accused's name.
Deeming the decision "controversial", Insp. Busuttil pointed out that the convict's name would still need to appear on the sex offenders' register (also known as the protection of minors register).
Magistrate Micallef Trigona however held that there was no need for the man's name to be published in the media, adding that the most important thing was for the man's name to be listed in the register.
Next to be arraigned was a 36-year-old self-employed man from Kercem, Gozo. He was charged with identical offences involving four adolescent boys, aged 14 to 17. He entered a not guilty plea.
Once again, the court upheld lawyer Franco Debono's request for a ban on the publication of the man's name. The magistrate observed that he was granting the ban since the man had pleaded not guilty, adding that he would write down the accused's name in the event of a judgment denoting guilt.
This prompted Insp. Busuttil to question whether this reasoning applied to the prior 66-year-old pensioner, who had admitted his guilt. The magistrate reiterated that the important thing was that his name appeared on the register.
Dr Debono submitted a request for bail, adding that since the offence had happened in Malta, the accused was ready to bind himself to living in his father's residence in Gozo and to not approach Malta.
Insp. Busuttil argued that the accused had contacted the minors not only by physically speaking to them but also over Facebook, Messenger, Grindr and all the other forms of social media.
"It doesn't make a difference if he is located in Gozo or in the Bahamas. The only sure way he can be prevented from contacting vulnerable minors is by him staying at the Corradino Correctional Facility," the inspector said.
The court turned down the request for bail and the accused was remanded in custody.