A 13-year-old girl convicted for threatening three young women and slightly injuring one of them in a squabble between teenagers last year has been transferred to Mount Carmel Hospital from the Corradino Correction Facility.
She was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment last Tuesday by Magistrate Anthony Vella, while two of her peers, who were also charged for the same offence, have filed an appeal and their case is currently pending.
Although CCF director Sandro Gatt told MaltaToday the girl’s behaviour “was completely normal”, the medical doctor at the prison recommended that she is transferred to the mental hospital.
By procedure, every detainee is inspected by a medical doctor upon admission. “In this case, the doctor was of the opinion that the girl should be immediately transferred to Mount Carmel Hospital”, Gatt said.
When asked whether the detainee behaved in a way that could lead him to suspect that she required psychiatric help, Gatt said that there was no reason to believe so since “her behaviour was completely normal.”
Asked whether he thinks the CCF offers a suitable enough environment for a minor, Gatt said the courts decided that she was to be admitted and once her paperwork was all in order he had no right to contest the decision.
The girl’s lawyers Vincent Micallef and Andy Ellul, explained to MaltaToday that the punishment falls within the parameters of the law, and that although there was no error on the court’s behalf “the law expressly fails to tackle first time offenders in particular.”
The director general of hospitals Dr John Cachia decided not to delve into what the medical condition of the girl is, although he asserted that “she is being cared for in an area which allows adequate privacy and safety. She is receiving the attention appropriate to her age, including recreational and educational services.”
Cachia also explained that since the child is under the care of a multidisciplinary psychiatric team, she automatically falls under the care of a social worker.
Although not customary in Juvenile Courts, prosecutor officer Sgt Jason Grima seemed to have recommended incarceration as the best solution for the defaulting teenagers – even though the girl in question had a clean record. When contacted by phone, Police Commissioner John Rizzo declined to comment.
Asked for comment, prison rights NGO Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl director Fr Mark Montebello said he was adamant that children are not sent to prison. He described the case as a mistake on the magistrate’s part and that “the situation is cruel and inhumane. The police shouldn’t have prosecuted in the first place. I have never heard of teenage squabbles ending up in court.”

ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt