MALTA
Malta Today

September 22, 2019

By Lawrence Grech

MSSP sex abuse victim Lawrence Grech unable to finance compensation case against Maltese church

A victim seeking compensation for clerical sex abuse has said that he is unable to appeal a decision declaring his complaint as time-barred due to the upfront costs involved.

Lawrence Grech, together with ten others, had filed a case for damages against two priests, their Order, the Archdiocese and the government in 2013. He showed the MaltaToday a recent notice that he had received from court, informing him that in order for his appeal to be heard, he needed to provide a €1,895 deposit for costs to cater for the eventuality that the appeal was decided against him.

Grech, who now runs a one-man cleaning business, said he cannot afford the sum, known in the legal industry as “kawtela”.

Contacted by MaltaToday, his lawyer Patrick Valentino…