Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1028264
NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 SEPTEMBER 2018 87 • 27 • 80 • 1 • 7 76 • 15 • 50 15-09-2018 • Draw No: 741 A 35-year-old woman was found dead in the bedroom of her resi- dence on Triq F. Tortell, in Paola, yesterday. Lourdes Agius was found dead by her mother upon entering her apartment. According to reports by TVM, the victim's mother was said to have accused her daughter's partner with the murder upon discovering the lifeless body of her daughter. The man was found holding their two-month-old baby when police arrived on the scene at the apart- ment. Agius's partner, a 25-year-old Ivo- rian, has been detained by police in connection with the case. TVM reported that neighbours heard a disturbance inside Agius's apartment at 7am yesterday. TVM said neighbours had told them it was not the first time that police had visited the apartment over various reports of domestic violence. Duty Magistrate Astrid May Gri- ma is leading the inquiry. Paola murder victim's partner arrested A 19-year-old man has been hauled into court charged with the sexual abuse of 14-year-old girl. He was released on bail. Defence lawyer Marous- ka Debono told the court that it was the victim who instigated the sexual ad- vance, claiming she was aware it would land the 19-year-old man in trouble with the law. "He fell for the tempta- tion," the lawyer said. "He's human. Now he could end up in jail for five years." After repeated advances, a 19-year old said yes to a one-off sexual encounter with a 14-year old girl, the court head yesterday. Police inspector Joseph Busuttil, who led the pros- ecution, told the court the girl used to constantly message the accused be- fore he eventually gave in. The prosecution said that the pair met once for a sex- ual encounter. The girl's father, how- ever, filed the police re- port upon learning of the encounter, leading to the arrest and arraignment of the 19-year-old. The inspector said this was not a case of paedo- philia, arguing that like any case it had to be weighed on its own merit, also tell- ing the court the two peo- ple were of a similar age. Magistrate Audrey Demi- coli granted the man bail and issued a protection or- der for the girl, and banned publication of the names of those involved. Bail for 19-year- old charged with minor's abuse