Podcaster Ricky Caruana comes under fire over Justin Haber episode

Updated 6.57pm

Women’s organisations have slammed an interview on the Ricky Caruana podcast, in which Justin Haber insists on his innocence and questions the credibility of the 14-year-old victim of sexual harassment.

On Tuesday, an appeal court confirmed an original judgment in which Haber, 44, was handed a two-year prison sentence suspended for four years and fined €7,000 for sexually harassing a 14-year-old employee at his Marsaxlokk restaurant between 2020 and 2022.

A few days later the Ricky Caruana Podcast episode featuring Haber was published.

The Malta Women’s Lobby said it was society’s responsibility to focus on victims and survivors, not to attempt to repair the public image of perpetrators.

It stressed that any attempt to improve the public perception of people found guilty by the legal system does not undo harm or promote justice or healing, and risks diverting attention away from those who have suffered.

Caruana: I wanted him to have his say

When asked why he invited Haber onto his podcast, Caruana said he had made it clear at the beginning of the episode that the interview did not seek to defend or discredit anyone, but merely to offer a space for a person to have his say, something he said he believed in. 

He said he would be happy to debate his critics on a public platform. 

"It would be better if we could have a discussion and better understand our disagreements," he said. "Instead of finger-pointing articles, we should have discussions." 

What Haber said

Throughout the podcast, Haber, a former national football team goalkeeper, insisted that the girl was never 14 and maintained that he was innocent, describing the case as “a big mistake”. He also condemned any sexual harassment of minors.

The episode opens with Caruana stressing that he did not usually host this type of podcast and that he would not pass judgment or comment on the court’s decision.

He said he had promised Haber that he would allow him to tell his full story once the decision was final.

During the episode, Caruana read out parts of various witnesses’ testimony. Haber repeatedly insisted on his innocence, said he had nothing to hide and had cooperated with police, and questioned the credibility of the evidence that led to his conviction.

He claimed several times that the girl was never 14 and was at least 15 or 16 when she started working with him. Haber also claimed there was a ban on his name being published and that the media should never have named him, arguing that this led to him losing his job and being insulted on social media.

He described this as “a big mistake” and said a journalist should take up his case to pressure for it to be reopened.

The case against Haber was initially heard behind closed doors because it involved a minor, meaning it could not be reported at the time. However, the judgment itself was public and published on the court’s website, with details identifying the victim redacted.

'Listen to survivors'

Reacting to the podcast, the Malta Women’s Lobby said: “Any attempt to improve the public perception of people who have been found guilty by the legal system does not undo the harm or promote justice or healing. It runs the risk of diverting attention from its proper place while also downplaying the actual experiences and ongoing suffering of individuals who were injured. Silence or rebranding does not make sexual violence go away.

“The focus must not be on those attempting to rewrite their own stories. It's important to listen to survivors, accept their suffering, have faith in them, and make sure they get real help. We should prioritise those who are suffering, not those seeking to launder their reputations, whose discourse serves only to sideline victims,” the lobby said, reiterating that it stands with all survivors of domestic and sexual violence and harassment.

“To every woman and girl who has been harmed, especially by men who used power, control, or fear against you: We believe you. We stand with you. You are not to blame. You deserve safety, dignity, and justice.”

“And to institutions and communities: believing survivors must be matched with action, protection, accountability, and support. Our responsibility, as a society, is to centre survivors, not those attempting to rehabilitate their reputations. Support, accountability, and survivor-led justice must remain the focus.”

Commenting on the podcast, several women shared their disapproval on the Women for Women Facebook platform, where they condemned the episode for “glorifying misogynistic men” by giving them a platform.

Lawyer and women's rights activist Lara Dimitrijevic called the podcast a "blatant case of reputation laundering" and questioned why the presenter was being given clout and visibility.

"Equally unapologetic and unashamed, Ricky Caruana, the same presenter on national television who not so long ago took issue with those who criticised him after he had no qualms stating publicly that women fabricate sexual harassment, has now given time to a convicted registered sex offender and child abuser ... I am however disgusted how the likes of him continue to be given clout and visibility by even prominent figures of our society," Dimitrijevic added.