Woman charged with sexually defiling boy in her care
The boy was 13 at the time
A 43-year-old Qormi woman was charged with sexually defiling a 13-year-old boy in her care.
Priscilla Adriana Nappa appeared before the court on Wednesday morning, where she was accused of a raft of sexual offences, which were further aggravated by the fact that the woman was responsible for the then 13-year-old minor.
The woman denied the charges.
The details of what led to the arrest are banned by court order, after defence lawyer Joe Giglio claimed that such “proceedings should be held behind closed doors”.
The prosecution strongly objected, countering that they had several arraignments in which the details of what led to the arrest were published. Prosecutor Jurgen Dalli observed that while minors testify behind closed doors, arraignments under arrest are not usually heard behind closed doors. Dalli also underlined that he would request a ban on the name of the child and other details which could identify him.
The court partially acceded to the defence’s request to ban the media from publishing details on what led to her arrest.
Giglio then requested bail, arguing that all of this began last year when the alleged victim, who is under 16 years of age, boasted with another minor about what had happened between him and the accused.
This triggered an investigation.
The offences allegedly happened between August 2024 and March 2025, and the woman was no longer in contact with the child. Giglio argued that while the accused sought not to talk to the alleged victim, the boy kept reaching out to her.
“Her phone is with the police, and once the extractions are made, it will be established that my client has blocked the alleged victim,” Giglio said.
Dalli objected and clarified that while the woman was not being charged with rape, and this would have been the case if the boy was younger at the time of the incidents, the alleged victim and other minors had not yet testified in the case.
Dalli explained that there was still contact between the alleged victim and the minor when the woman was being investigated for the alleged crimes.
The court denied the woman bail as it solicited the prosecution to summon all civilian witnesses in the first few sittings.
Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici presided.
AG lawyer Jurgen Dalli prosecuted, assisted by police inspectors Dorianne Tabone and Ryan Mario Vella.
Lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for the accused.