A businessman, 36 who cannot be named by court order, was charged today with  sexually abusing his two daughters, aged 10 and 11.

He pleaded not guilty to defiling them, participating in sexual acts with them, violent indecent assault and harassment.

During the arraignment, defence lawyer Edward Gatt said that this case revolved around allegations that the man had touched his daughters' genitals.

There was no contestation about the man having walked in on his daughters while they were in the bathroom, but there was no intention to abuse.

This, he said was a very delicate case which started when the girls spoke to their guidance teachers. Unfortunately, he said, the man's life had become complicated because of problems with his wife after he had an extramarital affair with another woman from whom he was expecting a child.

Bail was granted against a deposit of €5,000 and a personal guarantee of €10,000. Magistrate Antonio Vella also placed the children under a protection order and barred the man from speaking to them.