Mother found guilty of harassing estranged daughter
Teenage daughter claimed her mother took photos of her near her school
A mother was placed under a probation order on Tuesday after being found guilty of harassing her 14-year-old daughter.
The woman was arraigned before Magistrate Jean Paul Grech on charges of causing her daughter fear and harassment. The alleged offences took place in Gozo in May 2024.
The teenager currently lives with her father.
The court heard that the father, the mother's former partner, reported the woman to the police after she allegedly parked her car near the school and took photographs of their daughter. He said that the girl feared going to school as a result.
In a statement to the police, the girl said that on several occasions, she noticed her mother waiting nearby as she left school. She was afraid of her because on one occasion, she allegedly drove towards her. The girl testified that she once saw her mother holding a mobile phone and believed she was taking photographs or recording videos of her.
The court noted that the girl had been subjected to bullying at school after her mother posted such photos and videos on social media.
The mother denied all allegations during police questioning and claimed her former partner's report was his attempt to target her. She insisted that she had never approached her daughter near the school or attempted to speak to her. Her visits to the area were connected to hospital appointments involving her parents.
Magistrate Grech, after assessing the testimony of both the mother and the daughter, found the girl's account to be the more credible. He noted that despite her young age, the girl testified in a detailed and consistent manner and gave a clear description of the various occasions on which her mother was near the school.
The court also noted that these repeated incidents caused the girl fear and anxiety. For a while she was afraid to go to school on her own and insisted on her father taking her.
The court also considered a psychologist's testimony about the teenager. The psychologist said that the child felt fear, anxiety, and anger toward her mother.
Magistrate Grech said he found it difficult to accept the mother's explanation that her presence in the area was solely due to her parents' hospital appointments.
He concluded that there was sufficient proof to establish harassment. However, there was no evidence of any incident that could reasonably have caused the girl to fear that her mother would use violence against her.
Prior to delivering the judgment, the court took into account that the mother's behaviour stemmed from her desire to maintain some form of contact with her daughter. Nevertheless, Magistrate Grech stated that her actions were only driving the child further away. Rather than imposing a fine or a prison sentence, the court placed the woman under a one-year probation order under a penalty of €500.
Names cannot be published by court order.