A court of Criminal Appeal turned a three-year jail sentence to a two-year jail term suspended for four years and four years probation to a man who was found guilty of defiling a five-year-old girl.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, recommended that the man, Anthony Camilleri, be helped in order to overcome his psychological problems.

Camilleri, 38, from Tarxien, was found guilty by the court of magistrates of defiling a five-year-old girl at the Baystreet Complex games room in St Julian’s on 10 December 2006 at 2.15pm. He was also found guilty of indecent violent assault.

A psychological report of the man showed that he should remain in the community albeit under strict surveillance as his mental health would suffer if held in jail.

The report added that he might he might be of a greater danger to society after serving his time.

To this end, Mr Justice Galea Debono ordered that the name of the accused should be published so as to facilitate his identification by society in general.

In his appeal application, Camilleri said the court could have inflicted a different penalty in view of his particular situation.

The court said a probation period would be fairer to the man, who had pleaded guilty at an early stage.

Police Inspector Carlo Ellul prosecuted while lawyers José Herrera and Veronique Dalli appeared for the accused.