A van driver was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to sexually defiling a six-year-old schoolboy he allegedly touched during the ride home from school. 

The man, whose personal details were banned from publication, was targeted by criminal investigations after the child opened up to his father who called for him at school. 

Father and son turned up at the Msida police station on Thursday where they made the allegations against the driver. 

The father of the alleged victim explained that he worked abroad. 

While in Malta, he called for his son at school and that was when the child told him how the driver had twice touched his genitals during the ride home. 

The boy first spoke to the officers at the Msida police station and subsequently repeated his account to members of the vice squad. 

An arrest warrant was issued and executed, resulting in the suspect’s arraignment on Tuesday. 

The man pleaded not guilty to non-consensual acts in respect of the minor who was under 15 years of age and defilement.

He was also charged with working as a minivan driver without having a valid licence. 

His lawyers made no request for bail at the arraignment stage. 

The court, presided over by Magistrate Leonard Caruana, upheld a request by the prosecution for the issuing of a protection order in favour of the alleged victim. 

The court also upheld the prosecution’s request, which was agreed to by the defence, for a ban on the names and details of both the accused and the victim. 

Inspectors Dorianne Tabone and Eman Hayman prosecuted together with AG lawyer Danika Vella. Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta were defence counsel.