Convicted child rapist jailed for another 5 years over indecent images

● Prosecution says man secretly took pictures of children at beaches

I downloaded the material, yes. I’m guilty.

Anthony Pandolfino, the paedophile and rapist who was found guilty of sexually assaulting two ten-year-old boys, has been jailed for another five years after he admitted to being in possession of and distributing indecent images of children.

The 73-year-old man from Sliema appeared before Magistrate Monica Vella charged with downloading and distributing indecent images of children and sharing the material with other individuals.

Inspector Joseph Busuttil, prosecuting, explained that the man used to download, and also upload some material himself on the internet. He exhibited photos of the cameras which the accused used. According to the prosecution, the man used to go to the beaches and take photos of children and share them with friends who “shared his hobbies.”

Back in 2006, the accused, together with his brother Dennis Pandolfino, faced charges of raping two young brothers, defiling them, holding them against their will and being in possession of pornographic material in 2002 and the preceding months. The boys, aged 10 and 11, claimed they were repeatedly raped, defiled and sexually abused over a number of years by two men, also brothers, who were looking after them. Mr Pandolfino had served ten years in prison for the crime.

For the most recent offences, the man pleaded guilty. The magistrate advised the man to confirm his plea and to realise that he would be ending up in prison. “I downloaded the material, yes. I’m guilty,” he said.

Defence lawyer Chris Chirchop asked if it was possible to send the man at the forensic unit in Mount Carmel, as he recently underwent heart bypass surgery. The prosecution then asked the court to list the man’s name in the sex offender registry.

The Magistrate sentenced the man to five years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of €5,000.