MALTA
Times of Malta
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
by Kurt Sansone
Two victims of clerical sex abuse told the court they could not understand how their compensation case against the Church was assigned to a judge involved with the institution that abused them.
Laurence Grech and Philip Cauchi are asking the constitutional court to stop Mr Justice Joseph R Micallef from presiding over a civil case for compensation they filed against the Church.
The victims are questioning Mr Justice Micallef’s impartiality given that he is president of Radju Marija, a religious radio station run by the Dominican Order.
Lawyer Franco Vassallo, appearing for the victims, submitted a newsletter belonging to the radio station, which reported on a talk given by the judge to the station’s members.
Fr Charles Fenech, the founder of Radju Marija – who stands charged with sex abuse of a woman in a separate criminal case – was then summoned to testify.
However, the Dominican priest failed to turn up and Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti fined him €150 for contempt of court and ordered that he be escorted under arrest for the next sitting.
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