Driver threatens Chief Justice in road rage incident

A 24-year-old driver was yesterday fined €198.05 (Lm85) and sentenced to 100 hours of community service after he was found guilty of threatening Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano and his wife during a road rage incident.

Roderick Pace, of Gżira, also had his licence suspended for three months for threatening the Chief Justice, insulting him, breaching public peace and driving dangerously in St Julians on November 9, 2007, at about 7.45 p.m.

Taking the witness stand, Police Inspector Martin Sammut said that in a police statement Mr Pace said that, while driving along the Regional Road, a car driving behind switched on its high beam headlights. He said he then pulled into the inside lane and drove behind the car with the headlights on.

When they had arrived at the Paceville traffic lights he alighted from his vehicle, approached the car that had been driving with its bright lights on and asked the driver why he had done so. Mr Pace said he did not know that the driver was the Chief Justice and apologised immediately.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard probation officer Marilyn Attard testify that Mr Pace was indeed sorry for his actions and sincerely wanted to apologise to the Chief Justice and his wife.

Ms Attard also said that, at the time of the incident, Mr Pace had been going through a rough time.

The magistrate took into consideration the fact that when Mr Pace was a young boy he had suffered from bullying and this had left a negative impact on him.

Before handing down judgment the court said that Mr Pace had acted irresponsibly and was a danger to other drivers on other lanes.