61-year-old convicted of raping girl aged 10

Another shameful case with a child being the victim. DISGUSTING !!!! Even more disgusting is the sentence handed down of 7 years. Our courts are pitiful.

Another innocent victim in our holy (90% Roman Catholic) island. What can you expect, when the Children Act has been on the shelf for a couple of years (one of the reasons). About 8 years ago, we were handed down a couple of important recommendations by the CRC Commitee on the Rights of the Child, of which not even a THIRD have been implemented. We do not even have a parents NGO to oversee children' rights and policies (especially with regard to teaching on Aids and HIV).
There is no obligation to teach sex education in schools and Personal and Social Development (PSD) can never replace this important subject ie. sex education. And yes, a register with all child abuse offenders is a must. Maybe, one day big brother Brussels will intervene so that our children, will be protected with strict and fool proof legislature, in the meantime I'm sure that we'll be getting more lip service from all our politicians.

Disgusting justice ! This monster scarred the girl's mind for life. and he got only 7 years.
He admitted throwing a mug at her but not with the intention to hurt her.
Did he rape her but not with the intention to have intercourse with her too?

How could the law not protect society from this man after he does his time.

Disgusting, only 7 years for this manand probably that would translate into 3 years jail max.How come the mother is not mentioned in all this, the girl to having to confide in Appogg ,the PSD teacher and headmistress

Well done again to the Maltese 'JUSTICE' system. . . come on - 7 years for giving this child HELL ! The victim gets a LIFE sentence for what she has been through, and this PERVERT gets 7 years (the other 2 years were not for this crime as we read).

In the USA he would have gotten LIFE ! ! ! ! !

And we maltese are PROTECTING our children? ? ? ? Very funny.

Maybe it would be interesting for The Times or some other local paper to run an article about court cases for various offences ranging from serious cases of child abuse like this to fraud & Fiscal offences, to drug abuse & trafficking sentences in recent years. I'm sure this would make interesting reading to many of us readers. This will also be a reflection to what our society and more so our Law Courts and local authorities deem as serious offences.

No, he did not ruin her life, he abused her. And believe me this is the most empathic thing people can think! If I were that girl I certainly wouldn't want people to think that of me..it's true he made her life a lot harder, harder than he can ever imagine, and he deserves a lifetime in jail and the after life is possible. I totally agree on that...Still, let's not speak in a certain way, we certainly don't want to give the idea that abuse = ruin. Else, it's like we are saying that no one should ask for help about abuse etc..it's not about minimizing what happened, but about not giving the perpetrator the upper hand..as the court order did !! Shame Shame Shame

This is a horrific case and I can clearly understand people´s revulsion at the relatively short prison term this man got for such a henious crime. Rape is an utterly terrible crime. It deprives the victim of their dignity and self-esteme and probably mentally scar them for life. God only knows what it does to a young child. Lets be thankful that this girl was brave enough to confide in someone about her terrible ordeal, and this has led to this man being brought to justice. Its never easy for a child to do this, especially in cases like this, where the man happens to be the partner of the victim´s mum. There are obvious reasons for this, so lets not jump into any conclusions about the mum. These things can happen anywhere and unfortunately Malta is not immune. There will always be people who abuse kids in any society. Our children should be protected from such abuse and this can only happen if the punishment fits the crime. I agree, this paedophile should have got a life sentence for this.

A TV news bulletin stated that the victim's mother knew what her partner was doing to her daughter and did nothing to stop it. If this is correct should not the mother - if she deserves such title - be taken to court also, at least for not taking care of her child?


Michael Seychell

I read this story on line and I was as outraged as your readers were at the inadequacy of the justice system in punishing this rapist. I sincerely hope the representatives of the people so recently elected take note of the public outcry and enact new laws.In california the rapist is named and his picture made public,his sentence would be 50 years minimum,and if or when he gets out again he will have to register as a sex offender ,and his name and picture gets posted on line so that unsuspecting neighbours with children will know they have a pedofile in their midst. This last mention is referred to as "MEGAN's LAW" p.s. Megan was a ten year old abducted from her home, tortured , raped and killed by a just released pedofile.

Is there a right in the Constitution for civil society to demand a referendum on the introduction of a Sex Offenders Register ? No? Then perhaps offenders have more rights and protection than vulnerable citizens...shame .

@Rita Spiteri

Please read and understand my post properly. I didn't say that a rape is not something serious or horrible. I said: let us protect the girl and let us not say that her situation is a hopeless case, because that makes her situation even worse. This is all psychological, the unfortunate girl needs real support, and this support should help her look forward not to waste her life.

Being a person who was sexually abused at the age of 8 myself, I very much hope, that this girl finds the genuine help she deserves. May God be with her and her carers.

NOT ONLY IN MALTA it happens everywere in the world , NAME AND SHAME they will think twice to do it again is we use the system , we dont know the circumstanses of the mother so we cannot start pointing finger , did we consider that the mother might be out at work when it happened , we have to watch out for as most peodifiles attitude is a kind person,helpful, they go out of thier way to help, they usully talk about peodefiles and how to be carefull, THEY are actually talking about themselfs,all the time they trying to drift you away from thinking that he is not that type, 7 YEARS FOR THE RAPIST , LIFE FOR INNOCENT VICTIM

What leniency, disgusting, I could lock both the man and her mum too and throw away the keys......and the way this sentence was given.....can we have an explanation? Is this the maximum allowed by Maltese law?
I personally was aware of a case where a father raped both his daughters and forced them to meet other men and got 8 yrs jail locally some yrs back. His daughters had to disappear from this island once and for all for fear of him coming back to their lives when he left prison.

And even then away from the country they also went as far as changing their names! Protection in such a small island is not practicable. So tell me who was punsihed most, the man who today roams the streets freely again and im avidly sure is ready to strike again or the daughters who had to flee this country once and for all!

And by the way this story is real! I know the details, all the details . So dear prosecuting officer, please do appeal this sentence , please ,unless this is the maximum that can be given by law. If yes wake up change the law!

This man committed a crime during a suspended sentence?

Children have a right to be protected. The law has not only failed in not serving justice regarding this particular childl, but it has also failed to protect children in general from this man once he is out in a few years' time.

Gently caressing the wrist of this person rather than slapping it with a steel ruler, encourages other paedophiles, don't you think? What irony - his sentence in years is less than those in the age of the girl. I fail to understand, moreover, of why one would chuck things at someone else without malice aforethought.

"Violently raped" - I dread to think what this actually means. If that is all that the press are allowed to print, then it means he did unspeakable things to this child and probably caused internal injuries amongst other things. I do not know how modern society in whatever country can justify such a light sentence for such a heinous crime. Only when we introduce appropriate sentences and/or re-introduce capital punishment will there be a reduction in violent crimes. Oh I hear the do-gooders already, well, what about the rights of the life they take away? Or the sanity/peace of mind they take away? What about the victims rights? All we hear about are the criminals rights. When you break the law you should lose your rights - simple. Like the comment by another - morality is a chain, so is a strict penal system. Deterring others by the mere fact of LIFE MEANING LIFE for crimes like this or death sentence would soon deter them.................................. I wish every country in Europe would take a tougher stance on violent crime.

The reason why we see no name of rapists but the details of their relationships with victims is that we read about those cases which already came up to Police and Court, and the main message of such policy is "Do not hunt for those who already convicted, but rather look around to notice victims who suffer in silence".
Giving details of cases lets us know that most cases of abuse take place in families.


Warning Signs of Possible
Physical/Sexual/Emotional Child Abuse
1. Baby lies unusually still while being examined or played with -- or while surveying surroundings.
2. Baby or child suffers behavioral symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome
3. Child makes a report about abuse or harmful activity either directly -- or perhaps indirectly ("I have a friend..." "What would you say/do if..." "I heard something about somebody....") to a friend, classmate, teacher, friend's parent, or other trusted adult.
4. Aggressive play and behavior, destructive tendencies, victimizing others, inappropriate expressions of anger, hostility and rage (often repressed), ignoring others' boundaries
5. Provocative tendencies (i.e. deliberately elicits punishment).

29. Lack of participation in sports and social activities
30. School problems: frequent absences, learning difficulties, difficulty concentrating, significant change in grades and/or attitude, cognitive/neurological/verbal delays, fear of dressing for physical education classes
31. Fearful of home life -- demonstrated perhaps by arriving at school early and leaving late, running away, early marriage
32. Delinquent behavior (such as stealing, vandalism, fire setting, etc.)
33. Unusual behavior around family member, friend, or acquaintance who seems unusually interested in child -- taking child away for trips or activities and/or giving child gifts. Child might begin having conflicts with parental authority.

16. Speech disorders or nervous disorders such as stammering, stuttering, facial tics, rashes, hives, muteness, developmental delays, height or weight substantially below the norm
17. Complaints of unexplained pains and aches (and/or unbelievable or inconsistent explanations for injuries).
18. Begging for leftover food and/or collects leftover food
19. Difficulty in walking or sitting
20. Eating disorders (excessive or insufficient food intake)
21. Drug and/or alcohol abuse
22. Suicide gestures or attempts, or homicidal ideation
23. Poor self-image, self-hatred, feelings of shame and guilt, aversion to own body, self-destructive forms of behavior (alcohol/drug abuse, self-mutilation/cutting, excessive risk taking), withholding of necessities to self, poor self-care
24. Poor hygiene or excessive bathing. Fear of undressing and/or wearing of excessive and perhaps unflattering clothing.
25. Fear of showers, restroom, or other particular place
26. Extraordinary fear of particular gender, person
27. Various phobias, generalized fear and anxiety, depression, disturbances in memory, multiple personality disorder
28. Social difficulties (inability to trust, teasing or getting teased, bullying or getting bullied, inability to make and/or keep friends, trouble communicating with peers), difficulty in forming positive, nonabusive relationships, increased affection-seeking from adults
29. Lack of participation in sports and social activities

6. Inhibited or depressed behavior, withdrawal, despair, hopelessness, sense of impotence, excessive feeling of vulnerability, crying without provocation, pessimistic or callous outlook on life, overly compliant behavior
7. Regressive behavior (bedwetting, refusal to speak, thumb sucking, separation anxiety, baby talk, whining, clinging, rocking, head banging, biting).
8. Behavioral extremes - from aggressive to inhibited
9. Pseudo-mature behavior and appearance -- sexual or otherwise.
10. Child assumes adult responsibilities and/or reports no caregiver at home.
11. Sexualized or seductive response toward others (including molestation of younger or more immature children), confusion or excessive concern about sexual norms, compulsive sexual behavior (possibly with toys or objects), demeaning or hurtful sexual activities or habits, viewing sex in persistently negative light (as dangerous, hurtful, controlling, bad, inappropriate), promiscuous behavior, prostitution, sexual preoccupation (excessive curiosity), despair regarding inability to control sexual urges
12. Self-consciousness or self-awareness of body and sexual behavior beyond that appropriate for age group (expressed through play, drawings, or stories)
13. Confusion with identity and sense of self
14. Hurtful to animals, small children or other vulnerable members of society and/or takes pleasure in being hurt.
15. Sleep disorders (insomnia, fearful about falling asleep, excessive sleeping, sleep-walking, nightmares, restless sleep)

@e.bartolo
'' there is a chance of her getting over this abusive experience''
The rape of a person shouldn't be taken that lightly even moreso if it's a child we're talking about. 7 years? life is what he should get.

Name and shame this paedophile.

What a poor girl and what about the flashbacks and emotional trauma that she will have to live with.
This man should have been locked up for at least 30 years and she should never have to face the prospect of his release.

Yes, as has been said elsewhere, Malta needs a sex offenders register and tighter controls on paedophiles as in the UK and elsewhere.

Now there's a deterrent! Nine years for raping a 10 year old girl. People caught drug trafficking get more than that.

7 years for ruining a girl's life! That is an insult - make it at least 19. I seem to remember someone who ruined a national treasure many years ago got more than that. Surely human beings have more value than any national treasureor 'work of art' or? After all, we are God's work of art.

@ C Briffa.

Am not 100% with you on this argument! Since in Malta we don't have a Sex Offenders Register, maybe the girl's mother did not know that her partner was a paedofile! A SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER US URGENTLY NEEDED FOLKS!!!

only 7 years for raping a ten year old! Did the court hear where was the mother during these rapes??? Who was his lawyer? Does this lawyer have children?

Once again a local man was not named. Why is it that only foreigners have their names published? So they can get away with abusing yet another innocent child? We need to be aware of the people we send our children to in order to have peace of mind.

He will be out in six yrs time according to our system of justice.

where was the mother while all this was happening?

So the mother lived with him for years ! yet no mention of her in the court case. Apart from residing in the same residence.

Sometimes I wonder why rapists get such low jail time and why our politicians and judiciary system do not increase the jail terms...

The girl is spoiled for life...he does not deserve less and as for her mother- where was she?

He should be locked up for life.

So the girls mother where was she ?

This man should be jailed for the rest of his life.

Really! A 61-year-old man is found guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl and given a 7 year sentence! What is this? What message are we sending out there? The man should have been given a much harsher sentence!

This beast gets only a 7 year sentence while his victim, this poor child, gets a life sentence because let's face it - it takes a lifetime to get over something like this! And our courts think this is fair. Unbelievable!!
What's also worrying is that once he's out, the girl will still be in her teens. Who's going to protect her then?

I believe that the man is mentally sick, but was there sexual intercourse involved? If so he should have got life not 7 years! But if no sexual intercourse was involved why was he charged with violent rape?

He should have his name plastered all over the island so that everyone knows who he is, his name should go on the the sex offenders register (what is Malta waiting for to introduce this?) and he should have been jailed FOR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE, just to make sure that he never, ever has the chance of repeating this despicable crime.
Is there no such thing in Malta as the public's right to know?

Bill Millam
Los Angeles

If we just read what this man admitted to, let alone what he got away with!

Watching a pornographic film in front of a seven year old!,

Throwing things including a mug at her!

Who in the real world would do this to a seven year old?

He is not just a child molester, he is dangerous one at that, and the sooner that the name of this and other such violent , child molesting bullies is made public, the sooner we can start to reduce the harm caused to our children!

Articles like this make people like me fume. The girl's mother should have been charged as well for introducing such a man to her daughter. Why is our Justice so lenient?..... Poor girl she will physically suffer all her life. ONLY IN MALTA.

Details of this girl/case should never have been revealed so the man's name could be published without revealing the victim's identity. In 9 years or less time this "man" will be in our streets looking for the next victim which might be my/your child! How will this girl cope when she meets him again so soon? I hope both victim and perpetrator are offered therapy.
On the other hand I admire this girl for having the courage to speak up. I wonder how many little ones pass through such experiences but nobody gets to know.

Seven years for ruining a ten year old's life is shocking.

@ MARIO CAMILLERI is not only in Malta ,i lived In UK and it was the same there , in Italy they get same sentence practically Europe is based on same time which i believe it is disgusting .
@ e Bartolo, you said , there is a chance of her getting over this abusive experience. well how wrong you are whether its a girl or a boy that have been sexually abused, they never forget it, they might try to put it in the back of their mind but it very hard . i am a mother and when i lived in the UK I fostered so i am talking from experience. These children suffer so much that us helpers and foster parents , shared their burden trying to make it better.YOU FORGIVE BUT NEVER FORGET

Then this is the summary:

watch pornography in front (or with) a minor (10 years!!) + having (forcing...) sex with a 10 year old + injuring her by throwing (of course they have hit sometime) things to a 10 year old + stealing from another persons home = 7 years jail (which of course will be eventually decreased.

Whatever the reason, 7 years is definitely UNJUST. Its unjust on the victim who is only 10yrs old and her life has been ruined, its unjust on past and future victims and its unjust on the Maltese society in general.

I urge the Ministers, Government, NGOs, the Courts to look into our Laws and update them to humane levels... this 61 year old man has ruined a life, psychologically murdered an innocent 10 year old and still got away with it - cos 7 years is nothing compared to the damage he has done.

DISGRACE!

Why did this little girl not speak to her mother first? Or did she and was not believed? Or did her mother ignore her child's pleas? Or did the child not tell her mother in the first place because she was afraid of repercussions or not being believed? Or did the mother know and not take any action for several reasons, maybe she was afraid of repercussions or that the man would leave her? There are still things which have not come out in the open but which might really be important to this particular case, and hopefully, which the Court has taken into account.

7 yrs for raping a 10-yr-old and exposing her to porn ?..... whatever next?

Before two or three decades:

- It used to take a boy and a girl long time to have a date, let alone to have sex.
- You hardly see a man or a woman publicly proud to have
beside-marriage relation.
- We used to only have one definition of a family …etc.
- Discussing other forms of families was a taboo.

Today:

- Drinking, drugs and sex s among children has become the fashion.
- Parents to have partners, having sex at homes is fashionable, leading an example for kids has become irrelevant.
- Through a computer chat-line or SMS or in the street you can have a date. Within minutes you can have a sort of sex. Within nine months a baby is born. And still we wonder! Why we are having too many single parents and the age of young mothers has increased? Why does it talk so long for us to realize?

Morality is a chain. Lack of it is a disaster. We are getting backward. If we think we are moving ahead or being modern, we should think again.

ONLY 7 years that is a gisgusting sentence AND A LIFE TIME FOR THE GIRL. because that is her sentence as she will suffer the rest of her LIFE.Shame on the people that are causeing so much pain for these children .

amazing..what sort of man he is...and yet he gets away with a 7year jail sentence...utterly unbelievable....here we go again..only in malta.....sure..

61 year old pervert- 9 years...will probably serve alot less

10 year old girl- Life sentence......

...Lady Justice has been raped...

I wonder what sentence that deserves?

I understand the anger of the previous posters, but let us not make the life of this very unfortunate girl more difficult. With a very determined will, there is a chance of her getting over this abusive experience. It is our duty to help such children, and one way, is to support them and encourage them to look forward, irrespective of what happened to them in the past.

How worse could it get?

"He threw things at her...but never intended hurting her". I would add another 15 years's jail for offending the court's intelligence. As if what he did, did not hurt the victim.

Jailed 7 years for rape. A rape is a terrible thing, whatever the age, but on such a young girl? Are 7 years enough for psychological murder?

Notwitsanding everything, my pure admiration at the little girl for finding the courage to speak up with the right people, especially if her biological 'mum' was of no help.

Please everybody learn a lesson and be careful with whom you leave your kids.

7 years is justice ????? i can't believe this.

It's sad to hear that the sentence given to this savage is one of only 9 years.....
He deserves nothing less then 25 yrs. This kid's life is ruined forever no matter all the counselling he/she might get this person is scarred for life and in a few years time the person who caused all this will be back on our streets looking for he's next victim.
Let's not forget that all this happened whilst being under a suspended sentence and yet the authorities don't find it serious enough to inflict a much more severe prison sentence.

Why on earth is this "man" just going to serve 7 years for ruining the life of a child? Is this justice? Plus he 'violently' raped! wow.

Only seven years, only in Malta

Maybe it is time to talk seriously about a sex offender’s register in Malta. While appreciating how complex this may be, we really have to do what we can to protect society, especially the young, from repeat offenders. It is our duty to society to do what we can to protect. We will never know who this man is and thus in rightfully protecting the victim in this case, he may find yet another future victim when he gets out, even at 70 years of age.

I am a little bit worried with the following sentence:

"The case was discovered after the girl sought help from the Appogg helpline and after she spoke to the school headmistress and the PSD teacher."

I (can only) THINK that a girl/boy passing from this hell would have had a lot of courage to speak out. However the least thing s/he would like to do is to create a havoc in the family's routine. Associating Appogg helpline and PSD teachers with police in a very apparent manner may lead to some serious repercussions on similar victims, who might think it again to make their first step.

Ma nafx...it's just a very VERY sensitive issue.

Not enough! The jail sentence is not enough. Victims have to get financial compensation not just justice. This girl is going to need Eur 50 per week to see a shrink for the next 10 years at least.

The rapist should be made to pay. Any assets he has should be handed over to the girl in a trust, to help her get through to life. If he does not have any assets, he should work (in jail) and hand over the money earned to the girl. If he refuses then he can stay there for ever.

I agree with Mr Vassallo. It is quite amazing that the "violent rape" of a 10 year old girl results in a 7 year jail term. I also think that he should be locked away for life without any parole.

How sick is that? I can't believe that people still do that !! I can imagine what a future there's going to be for that little girl. He should be locked up for the rest of his life not just 7 years.