An internal police probe into the way the police handled an investigation of sexual abuse claims made against a Gozitan learning support assistant came to sudden halt when the LSA withdrew her grievance, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
In reply to questions from this newspaper following the LSA’s claim of wrongdoing in the investigation, the police said that an internal investigation had started but was then stopped.
“Kindly note that an internal investigation was commenced, nevertheless this was not pursued further from the side of complainant,” was the curt reply received from the police’s Community and Media Relations Unit in reply to a number of questions asked about the way the investigation had been handled.
Karen Mercieca, 38, was cleared by a court of having defiled an 11-year-old girl with a learning disability at the Għajnsielem Primary School in November 2011. Her acquittal in 2015 was then confirmed on appeal.
Ms Mercieca said she believed the investigation into the sexual abuse allegations was not conducted properly and lacked professionalism.
Magistrate Joe Mifsud, who handed down the first judgment that cleared Ms Mercieca of all charges, also commented on the investigation and about how many questions were left unanswered.
He highlighted the fact that a burn found on the child had not been investigated by the police.
But even though Ms Mercieca had filed a formal complaint about the investigation, she chose not to pursue it further.
Sources said she might have been put off by requests to appear in court and simply wanted to put this ugly patch in her life behind her once and for all.
This newspaper reported last month that the LSA, from Qala, had been through a “living nightmare” in the five years she fended off sexual abuse allegations.
“I have tried not to let it affect me, but the burden was too heavy to carry year after year,” she said in an interview. “During these five years, I stopped living and was just existing. The life I had enjoyed so much made no sense anymore. Having to prove my innocence against such an accusation took away my life.”
She had been an LSA for 11 years when suddenly, her professional and personal life came crumbling down soon after noticing what looked like a cigarette burn on the girl’s arm, which she reported to the school head.
Soon after, Ms Mercieca was called in by the police, who were looking into a claim, made by the girl’s mother and aunt, that she had touched the child inappropriately. The girl was in Year 6.
Questions sent to Ms Mercieca asking why she had withdrawn the complaint remained unanswered at the time of writing.
matthew.xuereb@timesofmalta.com