Maltese diplomat resigns over claims

The Maltese ambassador to Ireland resigned at the weekend, following allegations of sexual assault against his 35-year-old son.

Richard Muscat, ambassador to Ireland for eight years, returned to Malta on Friday and handed in his resignation to his minister for foreign affairs, Michael Frendo, the next day.

He was to have served in Ireland until the end of July 2008.

Mr Muscat resigned after stories in the Irish media of an alleged sexual assault by his son last October.

Christina Leech-Cleary (20), a Portmarnock woman studying at Trinity College, Dublin, said the diplomat's son, Massimileno, had attempted to drag her into Herbert Park and tried to put his hand down her top before she escaped. She contacted the Garda and he was arrested and questioned about the alleged attack.

Gardaí confirmed yesterday a file on the incident has since been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. If Mr Muscat's son is to be prosecuted, he will need to be extradited from Malta.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the son could have claimed diplomatic immunity which would have protected him from prosecution here.

Ms Leech-Cleary had said she'd been told by gardaí there was no point in pursuing the case because her alleged attacker was entitled to diplomatic immunity.

However, the Maltese ministry of foreign affairs announced on Saturday it would waive immunity. It also noted no diplomatic immunity had been invoked.

The Maltese media has reported Mr Muscat, a former nationalist MP, said the allegations were "unfounded and baseless". He told Maltese newspapers he resigned because, although the claims did not have any legal or factual basis, he had to consider their effects on his work and the embassy.

Mr Muscat pointed out that 10 months after the alleged incident, no action had been taken against his son. He said the police had listened to his son's side of the story, which contradicted the complainant's report. He also said his son suffered from mental health problems, which had been confirmed by his psychiatrist.