An 18-year old youth was remanded in custody on Sunday after pleading not guilty to sexually abusing a 17-year old girl whom he allegedly kept pestering even after being warned to stop.

Mohamad Alswileh, a Syrian-born teenager living at Birkirkara, was arrested after allegedly ignoring a warning he got after the girl filed a police report on September 12 about the alleged non-consensual advances.

In spite of being spoken to and told to keep away from the girl, the teen allegedly persisted in his behaviour, approaching the victim on seven occasions, the court was told.

Prosecuting Inspector Christabelle Chetcuti charged the youth with non-consensual sexual acts, acts of physical intimacy by touching her breasts and private parts, harassment and also stalking her at least twice.

He was also charged with causing the girl fear of violence, assaulting her as well as insulting or verbally threatening her.

The accused pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer, Jason Grima, argued that some of the reported incidents of stalking were a figment of the girl’s imagination, adding that the alleged victim apparently suffered from mental health problems.

A request for bail was turned down by the court, presided over by Magistrate Astrid May Grima, in view of the nature of the alleged offences, the fact that the alleged victim was a minor and was still to testify, along with other civilian witnesses.