A 12-year-old girl was repeatedly defiled by her uncle during sleepovers at the grandmother’s house, a court heard yesterday.

The defilement occurred on several occasions between December 2013 and last April.

Details of what happened emerged in court after an Algerian national pleaded guilty to defiling his niece and to performing sexual acts with her. The man, whose name cannot be published by court order to protect the identity of the minor, admitted to touching the girl while she was asleep.

Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona also heard that the man had an alcohol problem. He was placed on probation for three years and the court issued a three-year protection order on the minor.

Police Inspectors Sylvana Briffa and Roderick Agius prosecuted.

Lawyer Patrick Valentino was defence counsel.

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