A support worker who allegedly engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with four underage girls at an open centre for women and minors was remanded in custody on Tuesday after denying the charges in court.

Norman Bugeja, 57 of Luqa, was accused of having engaged in the non-consensual activity with the underage girls, occasionally paying for sexual favours, offending public morals and committing acts which, as a public officer, he had been duty-bound to prevent.

The man was targeted by police investigations after two of the girls confided in social workers tasked with helping migrant children who had no family to turn to.

Prosecuting Inspectors John Spiteri and Joseph Busuttil explained that the suspect allegedly had struck up an intimate relationship with one of the girls at the shelter and engaged in non-consensual sex with the other victims who finally decided to spill the beans when they could no longer bear the situation.

A request for bail was objected to by the prosecution, which pointed out that there was a real risk of tampering with evidence.

Moreover, these 16 and 17 year-olds had no parents or family members to watch over them, having been entrusted to State care, the court was told.

Defence counsel Arthur Azzopardi rebutted that his client had been suspended from his workplace and had released a statement to the police, just as the alleged victims had also testified before the police, thus ensuring the preservation of evidence.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli turned down the request for bail since the alleged victims still have to testify and also in view of the nature of the offences.

However, the court urged the prosecution to summon witnesses at the first hearing.

Following a request by the defence, the court partially upheld a ban on publication of details, thereby banning the name of the shelter and the locality where it is situated.

Inspector Hubert Cini also prosecuted.

Lawyer Alfred Abela was also defence counsel.