A 26-year-old who engaged in an online chat with who he thought was an underage girl with the aim of seeing her naked today was charged with attempting to participate in cybersex with underage children and being in possession of indecent material.

Christian Coleiro, from Zebbug, was exposed by an American online prankster posing as a thirteen-year-old girl on Skype. The call ended when the prankster, who was tracking online sexual predators, revealed his true identity. The case was investigated by the Cyber Crime Unit and the Vice Squad.

The court turned down a request by the defence to ban the publication of the entire proceedings, limiting it only to submissions made in court. 

Magistrate Ian Farrugia granted bail against a €500 deposit and a €2,000 personal guarantee.

Lawyers Toni Abela and Maria Karlsson appeared for Mr Coleiro. Inspector Joseph Busuttil prosecuted.