A family man whose life crumbled to pieces under sexual allegations by a woman whom he had welcomed into his home as a destitute 13-year old orphan, has finally been relieved of his burden of guilt.

The alleged victim was a 26-year old adult when she reported “her traumatic experience” to the police. She said she had suffered at the hands of the accused, who had offered her shelter at weekends while away from the orphanage.

Having been a victim of physical and sexual abuse inflicted upon her by her natural father and brothers, the girl had been placed under a care order and entrusted to a church home.

However, behavioural problems, stemming from her nightmarish childhood and consequent stress disorder, had given rise to trouble at the home.

The accused’s wife, watching over the child as a social worker, had pitied the girl and had offered to provide her with a healthy family environment, even if only at weekends.

Little did the woman imagine that her kindness could lead to such disastrous consequences for the family.

Trouble began to brew when the 13-year old alleged that the family man had sexually abused her, even raping her one evening when she had dozed off while watching television.

Medical check-ups and an examination by psychologists had, however, concluded that the allegations were ‘made up’.

Faced with this denial, the girl eventually developed an aggressive attitude, reflecting a pent-up anger which, 11 years after the alleged episode, was finally let loose when the then grown up woman went to the police with her story.

Criminal proceedings were set into motion against the man for rape, defilement and violent indecent assault of the teen who, years before, had been entrusted into his care and who had since vanished from his family’s sight.

Testifying in court, the alleged victim had spoken about ‘strange goings on’ inside the accused’s household, such as that the man would fondle his daughters’ breasts and enter their room while they were getting changed.

All her allegations were categorically denied by the accused who, rather, explained how the girl had been a source ‘of great trouble’ whenever she stayed with the family.

Her accusations had eventually transformed him from a ‘social drinker’ to a heavy drinker, on the brink of suicide, eventually needing mental care.

Following almost five years of criminal proceedings, the court concluded on Friday that the prosecution had rested its case upon the allegations of the victim. This not only conflicted sharply with the accused’s own version but also was riddled with clear inconsistencies.

After a careful examination of the records of the case, having gone through them ‘twice if not three times’, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli concluded that the victim ‘could not be believed’.

It was clear that her traumatic childhood, her stress disorder and a lack of moral guidance had led the woman ‘to believe that her own allegations were true’.

Years after the alleged episode, the woman happened to meet the accused’s daughter with whom she confessed that she was ‘sorry for all she had done at a time when she was crazy,’ the court noted.

Particular weight was attributed to a medical certificate drawn up shortly after the alleged rape wherein it was recorded that the 13-year old had been “sexually active in the past” and that there were “no signs of a recent struggle” nor of “forced penetration”.

On the basis of all evidence, the court cleared the man of all the charges stating that there was “not the least shred of evidence to corroborate the victim’s version upon which the prosecution had rested its case.”

The court ordered a ban on the publication of all names.

Lawyer Joe Giglio was defence counsel.