A 66-year-old pensioner has been charged in court with participating in sexual acts with three of his eight-year-old nephews and nieces between 2002 and a few weeks ago.

The accused whose identity cannot be divulged by court order to safeguard the alleged victims, pleaded not guilty to participating in sexual acts with minors and defiling children under 12 years of age.

No request for bail was made and consequently the man was remanded in custody.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja heard that the case came to light by chance when one of the victims, a boy, who is now 18 years old, decided to report the abuse he had suffered nine years before.

Police inspector John Spiteri said the straw which broke the camel's back was when the victim saw his uncle playing with a number of children during a recent family occasion and he feared that one day they could face his same fate. At that point the man decided to spill the beans and file a report.

During the course of investigations it transpired that even the victim's sister had been abused but had been afraid to come forward to flag the abuse.

It also turned out that even the victims' aunt had been forced to participate in sexual acts with the defendant but she refused to press charges against him.

The prosecution said that during interrogation the pensioner confessed to committing such acts, and also admitted to defiling another eight-year-old niece, a girl, just three weeks ago.

Lawyer Patrick Valentino was defence counsel.