A 22-year-old learning support assistant was remanded in custody today after pleading not guilty to becoming entangled in an intimate affair with his 13-year-old female pupil.

Over the past months, the young man allegedly communicated with the girl online, exchanging saucy messages via Messenger which gave away the close relationship which had developed between the two. The man had also allegedly made use of the internet to fix a meeting wherein he eventually engaged in sexual activity with the minor.

Arraigned today under arrest, the young offender was charged with using the internet to set up a sexual encounter with the girl, corrupting the teenager and committing offences he was duty-bound to prevent.

The defence requested bail arguing that the accused had filed an early guilty plea, had a clean criminal record sheet and had fully cooperated with the police. Moreover, a person was presumed innocent until proved guilty, the defence argued.

In this case, the accused, accompanied in court by his parents, sister and other relatives, had a stable family willing to support him through this difficult moment.

The prosecution however strongly objected to bail pointing out that the accused's work as an LSA would unavoidably bring him into contact with the victim. Moreover, it would be difficult to monitor any communication between the two via internet.

The court, presided over by magistrate Francesco Depasquale, declared that at this stage of the proceedings it would be inopportune to grant bail since the minor was yet to testify.

While denying bail, amid loud sobbing by various relatives of the young man, the court requested the prison authorities to provide adequate quarters for the accused.

The court further recommended that the prosecution was to summon the minor to testify as soon as possible, so that the bail request might be reconsidered.

The court imposed a ban on the publication of the name of the accused to safeguard the identity of the minor.

Inspector Joseph Busuttil prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Yanica Vidal were defence counsel.

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