Police chase sports car

A man who failed to pay tax on his British-registered Mercedes-Benz and then led the police on a car chase after the Malta Transport Authority tried to confiscate his vehicle was conditionally discharged yesterday.

Car dealer Andrew Debono, 46, purchased the high-end sports-utility vehicle from the UK and on arriving in Malta used the trial run number plates to drive the vehicle about.

The normal procedure for cars purchased abroad and then brought here is for the vehicle to be impounded until the necessary car tax has been paid. When the police traced the car they went together with an ADT official to retrieve it on Wednesday evening.

Mr Debono began arguing with the ADT official and when the police tried to tow the vehicle, he sped away with the police mobile squad in hot pursuit.

No fewer than two police cars gave chase and a third that was in the vicinity was also called in to lend a hand. When the third car arrived, Mr Debono had already been apprehended after he crashed against another police car that drove in front of his vehicle to block his way.

Mr Debono continued to argue with the police until he was overpowered and placed into a police car. After Mr Debono pleaded guilty to the charges, defence lawyers José Herrera and Noel Bianco told Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna that the damage to the police car amounted to just under €150. They said Mr Debono paid for the damage caused and fully cooperated with the police during their investigations.

Dr Herrera asked the court not to ban his client from having a driving licence given that he worked as a car dealer. The prosecution did not object. After taking into consideration the fact that Mr Debono had a clean police record, the court conditionally discharged him for one year and fined him €582.50.