A 57-year-old man who allegedly got naked and performed lewd acts on a beach where children were present has pleaded not guilty to charges. 

Claudio Perossa, a 57-year old Italian living at St Paul’s Bay, was arrested following reports by concerned parents who said that their children, aged 6, 13 and 14, had seen the man at Mellieħa’s Dawret it-Tunnara pulling down his bathing trunks to masturbate in public.

Children allegedly spotted the man doing so twice last Wednesday, at 11am and 5pm. Three days later, the same man allegedly took off his swimming trunks and took a dip in the nude. 

Police identified the suspect, arrested him and arraigned him in court on Monday. 

Perossa pleaded not guilty to allegedly defiling the minors through lewd behaviour and to offending decency or morals through his public acts. 

Prosecuting Inspectors John Spiteri and Paula Ciantar claimed that the man had faced previous convictions for abusing minors back in Italy. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Rachel Montebello, remanded the accused in custody.

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