A 28-year-old man from Pembroke was charged yesterday with defiling an eight-year-old girl, who is the daughter of his brother’s girlfriend.

The man, whose name cannot be mentioned by court order, was charged with defiling the eight-year-old and holding her against her will on 1 May.

Appearing before magistrate Antonio Mizzi, the man was also charged with committing a crime during the operative term of a suspended jail term handed down in November and with relapsing.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. Magistrate Mizzi rejected a request for bail and the man was remanded in custody.

Police Inspectors Martin Sammut and Louis Calleja prosecuted.