Man accused of defiling his daughter, 13

A 47-year-old man from Zabbar was arraigned before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri-Herrera this evening and accused of violently assaulting and defiling his daughter, 13.

The man pleaded not guilty and was denied bail.

In a separate case, Joseph Zahra, 55 of Birzebbuga, was also remanded in custody after being accused of assaulting, insulting and causing slight injury to a policeman as Birzebbuga police station. He pleaded not guilty and claimed it was the police who had beaten him.

Magistrate Scerri-Herrera ordered that the accused by examined by a doctor. She said she had decided to deny bail in view of problems the police had to monitor the accused in another case.