An appeals court has upheld a nine-year prison sentence for Carmel Agius, a 58-year-old art teacher convicted of defiling five young girls. The abuse occurred during private art lessons held in a Fgura garage, mainly between 2019 and early 2020. The victims were aged between 10 and 12 at the time of the offences.

In her judgment, Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera remarked on Agius' complete lack of remorse and his attempts to blame the minors for the situation. The court emphasised the lasting negative impact and severe trauma inflicted on the young victims.

Evidence from the trial revealed a pattern of repeated misconduct, including inappropriate touching under the table, suggestive gestures, and conduct with clear sexual connotations. Multiple victims testified that Agius intentionally positioned them in areas of the garage that were hidden from security cameras to avoid detection. The abuse came to light in February 2020 when one student confided in her parents, leading to a police investigation that uncovered additional victims.

In his appeal, Agius contended that the original court relied too heavily on the minors' accounts, maintained his innocence, and argued that the nine-year sentence was excessive.

The appeals court rejected his arguments entirely, ruling that he had deeply abused his position of trust.