A 13-year old girl agreed to pimp out her friend to a 37-year-old man in exchange for a mobile phone, in a sordid Facebook deal detailed in court on Sunday.

Mohammed Abdullah Musa, of Sudan, was charged with rape and engagement in prostitution with minors.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia heard how Mr Musa had been contacted by a 13-year-old girl on Facebook and he agreed to have sex with her friend in exchange for buying her a new mobile phone.

Mr Musa allegedly met the two girls last week in a Ħamrun garage, in which he was living, and proceeded to have sex with both girls.

He had already met the girl who organised the encounter, and handed over the new mobile phone she had requested as payment.

The girls resisted, struggling and kicking Mr Musa, who eventually stopped, prosecuting officer Joanna Piscopo told the court.

The police had been alerted to the case by a carer who looked after the two girls in the institute they lived in.

Defence lawyer Jason Grima told the court he was surprised not to see the girl who had made the alleged Facebook prostitution deal also charged in court.

“This is a girl who has a history of this behaviour. There are a number of other men who have been caught in this same trap,” he said.

Dr Grima went on to add that there were other cases in court linked to one of the girls, and men who had paid “€50 here, and €50 there”.

At this point Magistrate Farrugia interjected, exclaiming that:”when you are approached by a 13-year-old girl on Facebook, you know what to do. You do not have sex with her!”

Mr Musa denied the charges against him but saw his request for bail rejected by the court.