A 20-year-old prison guard has been charged with allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl and threatening to publish intimate videos of her if she ended their relationship.According to Times of Malta, Bradley Mercieca, from Qrendi, pleaded not guilty to all charges when he appeared in court on Tuesday and was granted bail.Mercieca is accused of raping the girl in February 2025, holding her against her will, engaging in sexual activity with her, recording sexually explicit material, forcing her to act against her will, and threatening and insulting her.The court heard that police began investigating after the girl filed a report with the Domestic Violence Unit on 18th September. She told police she had been in a relationship with Mercieca for around a year and alleged that it had become abusive.The girl alleged that Mercieca forced her to perform sexual acts and recorded them. She further claimed he threatened to publish the footage and to shoot her and then himself if she left him.Her mother testified that she found her daughter crying after the relationship ended and was told Mercieca was allegedly threatening to distribute intimate videos unless they got back together. She also claimed Mercieca made death threats against her after she intervened.Magistrate Franco Agius granted Mercieca bail under several conditions, including a €5,000 deposit, a €15,000 personal guarantee, a curfew and signing a bail book.The allegations remain before the courts, and Mercieca is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.The prosecution was led by lawyer Cynthia Tomasuolo from the Office of the Attorney General, assisted by Inspectors Marshall Mallia and Carlos Cordina. Lawyers Herman Mula and Franco Debono appeared for Mercieca, while lawyer Josephine Farrugia Mifsud represented the alleged victim.•