MALTA
Malta Independent
A Constitutional court accepted a number of plaintiffs’ requests for the recusal of Judge Joseph R Micallef in a civil case where they are claiming damages over child abuse suffered at the hands of now defrocked and imprisoned priests Godwin Scerri, Charles Pulis and the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP).
The plaintiffs – Lawrence Grech, Joseph Magro, Leonard Camilleri, David Cassar, Noel Dimech, Angelo Spiteri, Raymond Azzopardi, Charles Falzon, Philip Cauchi and Joseph Mangion – had filed a criminal case against the Curia, the two priests who had abused them, the Missionary Order of St. Paul (MSSP), the Prime Minister, the Education and Family ministers and the Attorney General in 2012. The plaintiffs had claimed that the authorities had been aware of the abuse, but had done nothing to stop it.
Mr Scerri and Mr Pulis had been allowed to keep their positions at the home, holding absolute control over their victims. Confirmed upon appeal, Mr Scerri and Mr Pulis received a prison sentence of five and six years respectively.
In a separate civil case, the plaintiffs filed an appeal on 28 April 2016 before the First Hall of Civil Court before Judge Mark Chetcuti in order for Judge Joseph R Micallef to be recused, citing a breach in their right to a fair trial.
They originally filed the civil case, being heard before Mr Justice Micallef, against Missionary Society of St Paul, Godwin Scerri and Charles Pulis, among others. The plaintiffs filed a case for punitive damages over abuse that took place while they, as children, had been residents of the Archdiocese of Malta.
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