A 51-year-old man from Victoria has been sent to Mount Carmel hospital after he pleaded guilty to defiling six boys aged between eight and 15 and a girl, aged eight.

In handing down judgment, the Court took into consideration that the man was himself sexually abused by adult men as a boy and this had affected his mental health.

After encouraging the children to take part in sexual activity with him, he used to give them some money.

The court heard that this had been going on for a number of years and during the Court process, he started receiving psychiatric care.

At the recommendation of a psychiatric experts, he was being kept at the Psychiatric Ward of the Gozo General Hospital.

The accused has a long psychiatric history and he was certified to suffer from schizophrenic paranoia when he was in Australia in 1984. He had spent time at a psychiatric hospital over there.

According to his psychiatrist, the man was delusional, even in his memories. His mental state was also affecting his sexual thoughts.