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	Court: Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse File Constitutional Case in Court Malta Independent January 7, 2011 http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=118178 Four priests being charged with sexually abusing boys at the St Joseph residence years ago, have filed a case before the Constitutional Court, claiming a breach of their right to a fair hearing as a result of publicity to their case. Lawyer Gianella Caruana Curran, who is defending the priests, confirmed with this newspaper the case has been filed. The application is against the Attorney General, the Police Commissioner, and the Court Registrar. The priests are contending they are being tried by the media as their case is being given over-exposure when it has not yet been decided. Sections of the media are already passing judgements on them when the case is still sub-judice, they added. The case against the four priests, Joseph Bonnett, Godwin Scerri, Charles Pulis and Conrad Sciberras, all members of the St Paul's Missionary Society (MSSP), started in 2003 but the compilation of evidence is only nearing a conclusion nearly eight years later. It has been heard behind closed doors ever since. The Constitutional case may further delay the initial hearing, before magistrate Saviour Demicoli, since it may be put on hold until the second (Constitutional) case is decided. A formal application has to be filed before the Court of Magistrates and it is to decide whether to wait for the Constitutional case's outcome or whether to go on with its pending procedures. The priestly sexual abuse case gained media momentum prior, during and after Pope Benedict's visit last April. In fact, the Pope met a number of the victims following Mass at the Granaries. At the end of October, the victims expressed satisfaction in the media after the local Church had informed them that their allegations were founded. The Curia Response Team, which has also been assessing the case ever since it started, was to send it to the Vatican for adjudication. A decision on whether to defrock the priests or not was expected to be reached while court proceedings against the priests in Malta continue. Dr Patrick Valentino is representing the victims.
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