A 23-year-old man was remanded in custody after he was accused of violently raping a 17-year-old girl from Dingli.

Josef Cuschieri of Birkirkara was arraigned in court charged with keeping the girl against her will, corrupting a minor and offending public morals. The case allegedly took place at in Gianpula Street, limits of Rabat yesterday at 2.30am.

Magistrate Anthony Vella turned down defence counsel Chris Cardona’s bail request and recommended that the accused be kept in the young offenders’ wing at Corradino Correctional Facility. Inspector Nazren Grixti prosecuted.