A man has been jailed for eight years after forcing his seven-year-old son into partaking in sexual acts with a prostitute out of fear that the boy might be gay.

The father – a 65-year-old man from Siggiewi – was sentenced to eight years in prison over the case which happened five years ago when his son was just seven years old.

A report was filed to Appogg by two prostitutes over the case.

During investigations, it emerged that the father had forced the prostitute into performing sexual acts on the child, and forced the child to partake in them. 

The man feared that his son would be gay like the man’s two brothers were.

The boy, who is now 12 years old, told police and a social worker that his father had threatened to lock him up in an institution if he ever told anyone about what had happened.

Inspectors Joseph Busuttil and John Spiteri prosecuted.

Inspector Busuttil testified that a woman who used to live with the accused had gone to the police to report that he would take her to Marsa for prostitution and that he would also force her to have sex with the child, and wanted to involve the boy in group sex acts with the woman.

Inspector Spiteri had testified that one of the women had told him that there had been times when the boy had not been able to obtain an erection and the accused had shouted at the boy, calling him “pufta” and lashing his back with an electrical cord.

A prostitute had told the police that the man had also forced the child to have sex with other women, who subsequently confirmed it.

Drugs would also be taken in the presence of the child, the inspector added.

 

The father pleaded not guilty, but Magistrate Audrey Demicoli sentenced him to eight years in prison.

The son and the two prostitutes were granted three years of protection. The boy is now being cared for by Appogg.