One example of why convicted child molesters should be exposed
The piece you can read below has been copied from the Xaghra Local Council website just now. Even though the man was convicted yesterday, the local council is still promoting his ‘weather courses for children’, probably because it doesn’t know of his conviction. If he has a weather club for children up and running, then it must have members. Parents should be alerted immediately.
Weather Club for boys and girls aged 11 to 15
Posted 1 April 2008 at 10:45am
NEXT MEETING is on Saturday 5th April from 10am to noon
We meet on a regular basis, make new friends who are also interested in the weather and hold various weather-related activities and also other non-weather-related ones too! Meetings include watching weather-related dvds, weather and meteorology-related PowerPoint presentations and short weather courses about the weather, clouds, weather forecasting and severe weather, etc.
During the break and before and after our meetings one can play various games including Wii Nintendo, table tennis, billiards and table soccer.Boys & girls joining this new club also benefit by receiving our interesting Weather Newsletter 4 times a year, receiving our 15-day weather forecasts 3 times a week too and receiving our weather warnings by email and SMS 24 hours before onset of severe weather!
These meetings are also combined with other activities such as on-site storm watching and cloud and weather observations, together with one or two sleepovers in a farmhouse in Gozo and a possible trip to Sicily, all of the above-mentioned at very cheap rates, thanks to our sponsors.
There is FREE transport to our premises at Zebbug and back home for the following locations: Attard, Balzan, Lija, Iklin, Naxxar, B’Kara, Swatar, Swieqi, Msida, Paola, Tarxien, Fgura, Zabbar, Isla, Bormla, Birgu, Kalkara, Luqa, Qormi, Siggiewi, Zebbug.
For more information or to join reply to this email [email protected] or call on 21462375 or 79710114
Regards
Mark Vella Gera
Managing Director
Malta Weather Club
www.maltaweatherclub.com
Phone 21462375 / 79710114
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Two years suspended…..DISGUSTING.
Have you clicked the link ??
The prosecution should lodge an appeal if possible.
“All at very cheap rates, thanks to our sponsors” – Would one of the sponsors be the pervert himself?
Seeing these, they’re probably just a slight idea of just how far this pervert has spread his tentacles …
http://www.homeworkelephant.co.uk/SchoolsByTypeIndependentCatholicSecondaryforBoys.shtml
http://www.peda.net/veraja/ipm/esp?vp=singlemodule&m_id=26139&sp=thred&t_id=13723
http://worsleyschool.net/communicate/visitors/info/malta.html
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the police to notify the website owners (they might not take an individual seriously), and possibly even work with Interpol on the case. Once he’s bothered spreading his tentacles so far across the globe, probably means that he had ill-intentions.
The telephone number “21462375” is blocked from the reverse directory search on the Go portal. Wonder why … Maybe it’s a home number, not a “clubhouse” one.
Extract from The Times online report of today:
“Magistrate Vella ordered that the teaching warrant never be issued again and that the man keeps away from schools or institutions that have minors in attendance.”
Why is the Xaghra weather club still being advertised with Vella Gera’s contact details? Because retracting them himself would still mean exposing his identity to the persons concerned? Maybe the police should take note.
There’s a meeting at the clubhouse in Zebbug on the 30th April, and a day trip to Mount Etna on the 12th May. See this:
http://www.maltaweatherclub.com/activities.htm
AT LAST…..NAME AND SHAME !
WELL DONE DAPHNE
SHOW THE MAGISTRATES UP AND PROTECT OUR KIDS.
It`s so sad that unfortunately such things happen. Vella Gera is an intelligent educated man – how could he possibly be so stupid as to send an sms ?
Does anyone know how the case came to light ? Did some child show the sms to his parents ?
Who knows if St Michael (tal-balal) requested a reference from St Michael (tal-Musew) ?
I don`t suppose we`ll ever know the answeres.
if you google in the name and then click on images on top left hand corner of the screen, you also get a picture of the perv!
oops! Read your previous article with pic of the perv included just now … so ignore my previous comment. I was still catching up on your blog. Well done Daphne for exposing this creep.
marika mifsud – Are you insinuating that Vella Gera should instead have tried to cover up his tracks? I doubt it, but that’s the way your message came across. Intelligence and education have nothing to do with such perverts – paedophilia and pervesion know no bounds. We should all be glad that he was stupid enough to do it in a way he could get caught.
One of the boys involved said that despite him being charged with defiling 2 of them, 15 of them were involved. for whatever other reason, the other 13 were not involved in the court case. Who knows how many other case there were that have not come to light.
Even though one obviously cannot condone MVG’s activities, the baying for blood on this site especially by certain individuals who profess a holier than though attitude makes one remember Christ’s saying when the Jews were about to stone Mary Magdalen.
“He who is not guilty of any sin may throw the first stone”
Enough said.
[Moderator – Jesus was Jewish, so if ‘the Jews were about to stone Mary Magdalene’, he would have been one of them.]
Mcomb: where do see any baying for blood? People are angry that the control systems surrounding paedophilia protect the perpetrator instead of the victim.
Mcomb – Unless you have children of you own, or have young relatives whom you love and care for dearly (though not in the way Mark Vella Gera apparently loves kids), you cannot begin to fully understand the anger and frustration I feel at the law protecting this pervert without giving a toss for any children he can come into contact with. Banning him from teaching and from “institutions attended by children” is not enough. Baying for blood has nothing to do with it.
What is urgently needed is,I believe, a change in our laws. I suggest that all leaders of institutions who have children under their care, will be held legally responsible if they do not report immediately to the police cases of child abuse within their institution. The protection of children should take priority over the reputation of the association concerned. As things stand, perverts are simply sent away to continue with their wrongdoings to their hearts’ content, in a different organization.
@MComb – Jesus Christ was talking about the sin of adultery, not sin in general, though that quote is often misinterpreted and twisted to mean otherwise. Remember that those doing the stoning were men, but it was only the women who got stoned for adultery. Adulterous men were let off the hook. Shariah law’s stoning of women has very ancient roots in that part of the world, and Jesus’s words then echo our own today when faced with similarly barbarous behaviour.
This quote from the New Testament is, on the other hand, wholly more specific, direct and clear (and relevant to the case in hand):
“But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.” – St. Matthew 18:6
How about considering something like this for Malta? http://www.familywatchdog.us. Ideally it would be part of a legal framework, such that sentenced offenders would automatically end up in such register.
Daphne, I am not sure if it is thanks to this blog, or to the email doing the rounds in Malta, but am getting the impression that there is an unprecedented outcry on this case(not even the Pandolfino case caused such reaction – probably we were not as online back then). I have even seen a poster of MVG in a public place today !
I didn’t know you were so well versed with the Bible Daphne. And that line is a matter of interpretation anyway. Are you suggesting that a millstone should be hung around MVG’s neck and he be dropped in the sea? Sounds a bit like incitement to violence to me.
However once MVG has been named and shamed, I just believe its time to back off him now. After all as someone suggested here he might need psychiatric help. As regards laws, I fully agree but what can be done now? Maybe the organisation of a petition or some sort of pressure on the judicial system could be considered.
Mcomb – Stop trying to twist words. Daphne was not suggesting anything – She was simply quoting. If you think that anyone was inciting violence, then you’ve misinterpreted St Matthew. (“But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.” – St. Matthew 18:6)
@J. Mizzi – Malta is an authoritarian culture. Children are raised never to question authority. You must have seen some of the comments on this blog, along the lines of who am I to question the magistrate’s decision. Slowly, slowly, things are changing.People are learning that it is not just their right but their duty to question things. A few years ago, nobody would have dreamed of challenging the decision to cover up that man’s name. Now people are seeing this attempt at concealing the name from them as an insult, and they’re right. When that happens, people get angry, and take matters into their own hands.
Mcomb
I don’t give a toss about the Bible, as it is not very relevant in this case. If we stay faithfull to it, the kids who reported him were supposed to turn the other cheek. And how were they supposed to do that?
If my kid was one of these unfortunate, I would not rest untill that evil twisted person, and others of his ilk, are put away from where they can do no harm (EVER) to other innocents. But than I am a father after all.
The photo gallery of http://www.maltaweather.com has – since the case came to light – been “re-arranged”. From what I believe were originally around 675 photos, there are now around 400. One wonders why …
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3809448.ece
Makes interesting reading. If only our judicial bench had such courage.
Amanda Mallia, you are sounding like the CIA.
I think the most serious questions should be putto the school itself, I attended my daughter’s parent’s day and was appalled at the aggressive verbal attack that this teacher launched on my daughter in my presence, although I am not a teacher myself it was very evident to me, without having ever known this teacher, that something was not quite right with this teacher. I walked out of the parents day in disugust, but I ask was he school monitoring this teacher and why was he allowed to intimidate my daughter in this manner, why did the school not detect that this teacher had a problem, when it was clearly evident that his behaviour was inappropriate within minutes that I met him?
Clearly this teacher is unwell and ma need help, but I place my blame firmly at the school itself which should have detected the problem much earlier.
@ Mcomb. Why is it that you have to bring religion into the story (no pun intended) even when discussing a case of child molestation! Can’t you make your point without having to quote from the bible?
Has anyone had any porblems accessing http://www.maltaweather.com this evening? It’s looks like it’s been taken offline now.
(Still think I sound like the CIA, Mcom? – At least I feel I have done my utmost to keep a pervert like this guy away from children, mine included. That’s more that his original “employers” at St Michael’s MUSEUM Boys’ School in Qormi did!)
http://www.maltaweather.com is not offline – I just managed to access it now. I don’t know what the problem was – Maybe it was just my computer.
Now Mcomb can really tell me I’m like the CIA:
This evening I posted a comment on The Times, which I am reproducing hereunder:
“The name of the man in question cannot be published by court order. The court order does not ban one from stating facts such as these:
Google the words “malta weather” – the first site most likely to come up is the one concerned. Click on the site; go on the weather forum – his name is there. It’s not a common name.”
And guess what? His name has been removed from the weather forum since my comment above appeared!
I apologise for the spelling mistakes in my post above, basically what I was trying to say is that clearly, even though I only met my daughter’s teacher (this same person) for a few minutes at parent’s day, it was evident that this teacher was unwell and needed medical help, why then did the school not detect such strange behaviour of one of its staff? Was anyone monitoring him? Was he vetted properly before given employment? Why was action not taken against the school itself? It would seem to me that the school should bear responsibility for monitoring the basic health of its staff, especially their mental health which to me was very obviously faltering in this teacher’s case.
Mcomb – You can now compare me to a nit comb, instead of to the CIA, given your nickname …
Following my previous post, I posted this on The Times:
“I refer to my post below, wherein I stated that although the court has banned the publication of his name, it does not ban these facts … Anyway, the pervert concerned has removed his name from the weather forum concerned, but – luckily – he has not removed it entirely.
To view his name, therefore:
Google the words “malta weather”
The first site to come up is most likely to be the one
Click on “Weather Forum” on the site. Although it says there are no posts, go to “from” and choose “the beginning”; press GO.
Voila’! His name appears repeatedly. I previously said it’s not a common name – I was referring to his name as a whole and to his surname. (His first name on its own is a common one.)
I know that the pervert will catch up with me again on this one, but I’m determined to make his name known to as many people – especially parents – as possible. We have a right to know that he is not in contact with our children, wherever they are; our children have a right to be protected – This man shouldn’t be left free to prey on more innocent kids.”
And guess what happened around an hour after such post appearing? This time ALL posts on the Weather Forum on http://www.maltaweather.com were been removed!
Oooops! – That last line should have ended “… have been removed”
I think there are various crimes which need to have their penalties revised.
The Minister said he was looking into the ridiculous penalty for hoarding or making fireworks in residential
areas. I think he should also look into the 4 year suspended sentence in this case which seems to be the maximum permitted.
What if this pervert abused my/your child? The least we would expect is a severe punishment from our law courts (although this would not repair mental damaged caused to the abused child)
After all these disgusting actions, this guy is now as free as you and me!
What does our law expect us to do if he had abused your child and you see him strolling on the Sliema seafront…offer him a beer?
Come on!
@Mcomb:
One minute you say people are “baying for blood” just because they’re indignant about all that has happened and about the fact that the Courts have prohibited naming the abuser….
…. and the next you’re telling us the Courts should pluck up courage and name and shame.
Can you decide exactly what you want?!
There’s nothing wrong with naming and shaming but this MVG episode has got a bit like a witch hunt.
Mcomb: If there were any other way of preventing Mark Vella Gera from getting anywhere near children, or of preventing him communicating with children through text messages, instant messaging, in chat rooms or any other electronic means, then what you call a ‘witch hunt’ wouldn’t really be necessary, would it?
@ Mcomb
Your choice of article somewhat bothers me. That you chose such an article, wherein kids are clearly in the wrong in this particular context is puzzling. I wish you would have posted a link like:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7307517.stm
BTW, just in case somebody missed this:
http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-to-create-paedophile-register/
Vanni – Well done.
Mcomb – What you call a “witch hunt” would not be necessary if the law protected children instead of protecting their predator
I am disgusted with Mcomb he seems in need of counselling himself. Wrong should never be called right no matter what and a wrong against children should never be tolerated Name and Shame is my advice children look up at us for guidance instead people like these sickos really need to be torutured in public squares in my opinon.
[Moderator – Physical torture is never justified, and is not the way prevent repeat paedophiles from offending repeatedly. The most that we can do is to make sure that people are aware of sexual predators before they come into contact with them.]
Can anyone tell us what exactly happened between this teacher and the kids?
Can a school name and shame one of its teachers?
I remember reading about a case where an employer allegedly caught an employee stealing ; the employee was fired. The industrial tribunal decided in favour of the employee for unfair dismissal , stating inter alia that the employer had to call in the police (which he did not) and after admitting in writing to the police or being found guilty by a court , the employee could have been fired. The employee even got some financial compensation from his ex-employer.A person is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
This is looking like a witch hunt because it seems we have too many loopholes in our legislation, and people are not satisfied with the maximum penalty stated by law, even though we do not know what exactly happened.
What if this guy was fired from his employment , and later appealed to the Industrial Tribunal for unfair dismissal , and got his job back? Or sued his ex-employer for spreading false and unfounded rumours about him?
I think it was not an easy situation for the school authorities, I think they asked him to resign , like most employers do nowadays. Everyone tries to avoid the court.
And from what I can gather from this site , there would still be the same people complaining why did not “Tal-Muzew” name and shame the guy BEFORE the court judgment was pronounced , stating that he was left preying around on his victims for a whole two years.
Does he have a right of appeal? If the answer is in the affirmative , then he was lynched on cyberspace.
John Schembri: Mark Vella Gera admitted guilt in the case in which he received a suspended sentence. He has not been lynched in cyberspace, merely named. And that is because the courts, in their limited wisdom, saw fit to ban publication of his name and our media saw fit to obey, rather than take a stand against a ban that has no legal basis.
People are angry about Mark Vella Gera’s case and other similar cases as there are no mechanisms that systematically keep predators away from children, so children have to be kept away from predators. Knowing who they are is the essential first step.
I do agree that faces of sex offenders especially paedophiles should be made public and harsher penalties should be given to these individuals. But this alone is not enough we should teach our children how to recognise these persons from their behaviour. Mark Vella Gera is not the only paedophile on the island there are hundreds of these perverts going around hunting for their next victim. Some of them make part of the so called high society and are well able to protect themselves from being caught and taken to court and some don’t. As all you well know on the internet there is a whole net of disgusting child pornography going on and these perverts just enjoy exchanging photos between them. Chat rooms are becoming the arena where paedophiles can hunt for the most innocent victims. We as parents have the responsibility to look over our children and protect them and no one else. It is our duty to teach them how to recognise that a person is getting into the child’s personal boundary and what is acceptable to be said and told and what is not acceptable. Most important is to teach them not to be afraid to talk with us about anything strange that might happen to them. At last I would like to thank Ms Daphne Caruana Galizia for having the courage to put this forward.
ps sorry for my poor english.
[Moderator – Your English is not poor at all.]
CArmelo Azzopardi – Could it be that Mark Vella Gera was given some sort of “special” treatment by not being named publically?
A man CHARGED (not convicted) with paedophilia the day before Mark Vella Gera was convicted was named in the papers. But maybe that’s because the magistrate was a woman, who may be more in tune with the protective feelings and concerns of mothers in general.
That’s exactly what it is – a lynch in cyberspace. Everyone who does not agree with the bloggers here is lynched.
LOl I cant believe my teacher would be a child molester.He was always strange in class(he would always shake and would always act nervous in front of us(i wonder why).)
Jm – Many people have reported his “strange” behaviour, which included not being able to make eye-contact (that oh-so-important means of communication) when talking to parents. That alone is a give-away of something untoward.
Mcomb: There is only one blogger here. Everyone else posts comments.
And here’s another example, even if it’s 10 years old, because the “man” was still wearing his MUSEUM badge until late last year:
“Mark Vella Gera – 06/04/98 10:57:45
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/5258
My Email:[email protected]
Hobbies: Weather Forecasting
C:”: Balzan, Malta
Comments:
Ma naqbel xejn assolutament mal-kummenti tieghek dwar il-membri tal-Museum f’pagna 6. Il-membri tal-Museum hlief gid ma jaghmlux. Jien kuntent u kburi li jien tal-Museum!”
(Extracted from http://geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/1618/GEOBOOKP2.HTM )