A man has been charged with child cruelty after his partner's four children told social workers that he would sometimes urinate on them as punishment.  

The accused, a 33-year-old unemployed man from Ħamrun, from  was remanded in custody on Wednesday after pleading not guilty to charges.

The allegations against him date back between October 2018 and April 2020.

Prosecuting Inspector Kylie Borg explained that the minors had spoken about how the accused would subject them to excessive punishment, sometimes even urinating over them.

The children, the youngest aged six,  first confided with social workers at school but police intervened after being alerted to the case by the Child Protection Services Directorate.

They later divulged more details to the prosecutor herself.

The man was interrogated and subsequently charged under arrest for allegedly subjecting the minors, under 16 years of age, to acts of cruelty when he was responsible for their wellbeing and also failing to take proper care of them.

He was also charged with recidivism.

The man pleaded not guilty.

His request for bail was objected to by the prosecution. Prosecutors noted that he was still in a relationship with the four children's mother and the two had another child aged two or three.

The mother was still in touch with the children, who are now living with their grandmother. 

In fact, the accused himself had told the police inspector that he and his partner “still took the children out to eat.”

The prosecution’s main concern was that he could approach his alleged victims and in fact, that was also the reason why the father had been charged under arrest.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono countered that the prosecution was to produce evidence to support those objections, adding that the accused had “categorically denied” the allegations.

The court could also impose strict conditions to ban the accused from approaching his kids and partner too, if necessary.

The law provided an effective mechanism in case any of those court conditions were breached, including a possible maximum jail term of two years.

Moreover, the man had an alternative address away from the residence he shared with his partner and youngest child. The accused’s sister was present in court to confirm that she was willing to provide that alternative address.

After hearing submissions by both parties the court, presided over by Magistrate Leonard Caruana, turned down the request primarily in view of the fact that the alleged victims, who were all minors, had still not testified.

Whilst urging the prosecution to produce those witnesses at the earliest opportunity, the court upheld a request by the parties, banning the publication of names of both alleged victims and accused, as well as any photos or videos concerning the man’s arraignment.

Lawyer Francesca Zarb was also defence counsel.