Girl suffered cousin's sexual abuse since she was seven years old, court hears

A man went on trial on Monday, accused of having sexually abused his cousin since she was seven years old.

The trial, the first this year, is also the first to be presided by Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera.

The man, now 25, stands accused of raping his underage cousin, now 16, and engaging in sexual acts with the girl over a seven-year span which ended two years ago.

The alleged rape took place when the girl was 10 years old.

Testifying in the trial, presided over by the judge, without a panel of jurors, various police officers recounted how the alleged abuse had come to light only after the criminal nature of the activity had dawned upon the girl during PSD lessons at school.

Inspector Paula Ciantar, who had led the investigations leading to the arrest and arraignment of the accused, explained how the alleged abuse had taken place at the home of the victim’s maternal grandmother at Marsa where the accused resided and where the girl regularly used to spend time while her mother was at work.

It had all begun when one day the young man placed a hand on his cousin’s leg, sliding it up towards her private parts before stopping short of any further act.

Other sexual activity...