Members of the press were this morning asked to leave the courtroom just as Archbishop Charles Scicluna was about to take the witness stand to face cross-examination in the civil proceedings for damages instituted by 10 victims of clerical sex abuse.
The civil suit for compensation was filed in May 2013 by Lawrence Grech, Joseph Magro, Leonard Camilleri, David Cassar, Noel Dimech, Angelo Spiteri, Raymond Azzopardi, Charles Falzon, Philip Cauchi and Joseph Mangion.
Two priests, Carmelo Pulis and Godwin Scerri, tasked with caring for the orphaned children at St Joseph’s Home, were jailed in 2012 after the appeals court confirmed their conviction. They were found guilty of sex abuse on 11 underage victims entrusted to their care.
However, since all efforts to obtain monetary compensation for their suffering had failed, the victims were forced to open a civil suit against the Church.
Following a decision by the superior court of appeal in March, the applicants had won a partial victory when the court ordered the recusal of Judge Joseph R Micallef. Doubt had been cast upon the latter's impartiality owing to his close ties with church organisations in his role as president of Radio Maria.
READ: Court rules judge can continue hearing sex abuse case
Although the radio association did not have links with the archdiocese and although Judge Micallef's role as president of the association was separate and distinct from that of the director of programmes, there was a perception of a link between the radio station and the church authorities in Malta.
Acting in the best interests of justice, the court of appeal had sought to eliminate any such doubt by ordering the case to be assigned to a different judge who would decide upon the merits of the claim for damages.
Having been duly assigned, proceedings were today continued before the First Hall, Civil Court, presided over by Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti. However, no sooner had the Archbishop stepped into the room than the judge informed members of the media that the sitting was to continue behind closed doors.
Lawyers Franco Vassallo and Patrick Valentino are counsel to the applicants.