A court deplored a woman’s vengeful attempt at ruining her ex-partner’s life by manipulating her young daughter into claiming that he had sexually abused her.

The man was cleared of non-consensual sexual acts in respect of the minor, following four years of court proceedings triggered by a report that his former partner lodged weeks after the couple broke up on Christmas Eve 2020. 

The woman later turned up at the Ħamrun police station claiming that her ex, Vinc Sammut, used to make unwanted and inappropriate advances towards her minor daughter, kissing her face and touching her legs. 

The woman said that that was why she decided to end their six-and-a-half-year relationship. 

The report was relayed to the police Vice Squad and investigations kicked off. 

Sammut denied the allegations, saying that he kissed the girl’s face and only touched her knee when she insisted on sitting in the front passenger seat of his car.

But he never had any bad intentions and treated the girl “as though she were his own daughter.” 

The man also claimed that he was the one who broke off the relationship with the girl’s mother who continued to pester him for weeks. 

Sammut pleaded not guilty to committing non-consensual sexual acts with the minor. 

When delivering judgment the court concluded that there was no “tangible and concrete evidence” to support the accusation.

Evidence put forward by the prosecution had “several inconsistencies and shortcomings.”

The case rested on the credibility of the minor and her mother who testified, corroborated by the scarce evidence put forward by the prosecution. 

The court questioned why the mother had filed the report after her years-long relationship with the accused had ended if she had been aware of these acts happening to her daughter. 

Would a mother tolerate such abuse without filing a police report immediately, the court asked.

When questioned by the defence, the woman admitted that she had filed the report weeks after the breakup after getting to know that her ex’s new girlfriend had filed another report against her.

The court presided over by Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit, observed that the former couple had a “turbulent” relationship.

The woman was jealous of her partner because he treated her own daughter better than she did. 

When all was considered the court held that the versions of the minor and her mother, although consistent throughout “down to the minutest detail,” were not credible. 

The accused had tried to establish a paternal relationship with the girl.

Over four years of court proceedings, the prosecution could have summoned other witnesses to corroborate the alleged victim’s version and that of her mother.

The victim’s sister, aunt and social workers could have shed light on the case.

Did the prosecution know that its case lacked the essential elements to succeed and thus did not produce those witnesses, the court questioned. 

The court pronounced an acquittal, stating that it “deplored the fact that the child’s mother decided to use her daughter to take revenge against the accused in an attempt to ruin his life.”

Lawyer Roberto Montalto was defence counsel.