A man was on Friday charged with engaging in non-consensual sexual acts with his 14-year-old stepdaughter.

The 35-year-old construction worker from St Paul’s Bay was escorted to court under arrest and remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to defiling the girl.

He was also charged with recidivism. 

Prosecuting inspector Dorianne Tabone objected to a request for bail on account of the serious nature of the charges and the fact that the alleged victim is the daughter of the man's partner.

The man had also fathered a child with the girl’s mother, the court was told. 

Defence lawyer Franco Debono countered that since the alleged victim and the accused did not share the same home, the court could order the “total and absolute” separation of the two.

Moreover, the man had categorically denied the allegations when releasing his statement under police interrogation, the lawyer argued. 

Magistrate Astrid May Grima turned down the request for bail in view of the nature of the charges, the fact that the alleged victim was a minor and because civilian witnesses are still to testify. 

The decision prompted the man’s lawyer to point out that accused persons were often remanded in custody because the prosecution had not yet summoned civilians to testify at the arraignment. 

In a complaint about the practice, Debono said he had been calling for a change in the system “for 10 years.”

The court remanded the accused in custody but urged the prosecution to summon its witnesses to testify at the first hearing. 

Lawyer Marion Camilleri was also defence counsel.