Trailer driver denies helping migrants flee

The driver of a trailer yesterday denied assisting nine illegal migrants to flee Malta on board the Sicily-bound catamaran, claiming they hid underneath the truck when he stopped to buy cigarettes.

The court was told that Erin Mallia, 32, from St Paul's Bay, worked for a reputable firm that offered transportation between Malta and Sicily. Last Thursday, while he was buying cigarettes, nine illegal migrants hid underneath the trailer. Some managed to squeeze between the tyres and the mudguards.

The migrants were discovered by the catamaran crew on the way to Sicily and were immediately sent back to Malta.

Mr Mallia was granted bail against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €5,000. In a separate sitting, the nine migrants were charged with attempting to flee the country illegally, with four of them also charged with escaping from the Safi detention centre.

Eight of the migrants pleaded guilty while the ninth filed a not guilty plea as he wanted to appoint his own lawyer.

The four who escaped from the detention centre were sentenced to three months' imprisonment while the rest were jailed for one month.