Triplets testify about alleged sex assault by brother, claiming mum refused to believe them as children

Triplets who are accusing their elder brother of sexually abusing them during their childhood decided to reveal his behaviour when they became adults because their mother did not believe them when they were children, the Court of First Instance heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Lisa d'Almada Remedios told a jury the three alleged victims, referred to only as X, Y and Z for legal reasons, told a social worker their brother had sexually abused them from the time they were 10 years old. Their brother is one year older.

The brother, now 20, denied seven counts of indecent assault and one of attempted rape against his three sisters between 2005 and 2008, when they were aged between 10 and 13.

The court heard that the triplets told their mother of the incidents but she accused the sisters of lying.

"When the mother learned of their complaints, [she] scolded them for telling lies and doing harm to their elder brother. Thus, X and Z admitted they were lying and the matter was not mentioned again," Remedios said.

The girls eventually reported the alleged crimes to police after they ran away from home when they were 17 years old.