Man jailed for 12 years for raping stepdaughters, aged 15 and eight

A man has been jailed for 12 years for raping his two stepdaughters, aged 15 and eight.

The man, 55, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victims, admitted to raping and defiling the two children as part of a plea deal. 

A charge of rape against a third girl, his own daughter, was extinguished after she later asked to withdraw her criminal complaint. 

The youngest victim told the police how she tried to hide under her bed to escape the man.

The case began after two young people filed a police report on on May 17, 2015, saying that their 13-year-old friend was being sexually abused by her father. 

The girl then told police her father had violently raped her twice on the sofa. As police continued to investigate, they established that the man had also raped his stepdaughters, who were his partner’s children and his daughter's half sisters.

The 15-year-old girl told police she was raped by her stepfather when she visited her sister and mother. On one occasion, the man drove his daughter to an exam and instead of taking his step daughter home, he raped her and then went to pick up his daughter.

Child tried to hide

On April 4, 2018 the eight-year-old reported that she was also raped by her stepfather. At the time, the girl was at a children’s home and had gone to visit her mother, who lived with the accused.

At night, the man went to the girl’s bed, naked, and the child tried to resist the violent sexual assault by hiding under the bed. But he managed to get her out and rape her, covering her mouth in the process. She lost consciousness while she was being raped.

The girl then told her social workers about her ordeal.

Initially the man was charged with the rape of the three minors and related charges. In February, the prosecution and defence reached a plea deal requesting a 12-year prison sentence.

A month later, his daughter testified before the Criminal Court, insisting she wanted to withdraw the criminal complaint against her father, saying that he had brought her up and sought her well-being.

The prosecution and defence did not request a variation to the plea deal following her testimony.

However, the criminal court took into consideration her wish after ensuring that she was not coerced to declare that she wanted to drop the charges. The charges stemming from her complaint were declared extinguished.

By his own admission, the man was found guilty of raping his 15-year-old and eight-year-old step daughters, defiling them, and engaging in sexual activities with two minors and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

He was also ordered to pay €1,022 in court expenses. The Criminal Court was presided over by Natasha Galea Sciberras. Attorney General lawyers Jurgen Dalli and Daniel Tabone prosecuted. Lawyers José Herrera, Alex Scerri Herrera and Charlon Gouder assisted the accused. Francesca Zarb acted parte civile for the eight-year-old victim.