Kung fu fighter jailed for 'uncontrolled road rage'

Haig Jacobs

Apr 9th 2010, 03:25

I can hardly believe this!!! I have not seen Tristan for over 25 years and out of the blue i get the urge to look him up online and this is what i find.

This seems not only excessive, but outrageous! Surely all involved in the accident were alarmed and frustrated, yet we have to believe that he alone was responsible for all that transpired, unprovoked in a two against one fight. Tristan would not beat up defenseless people or fight witout provocation!

If there was serious grievous injury one could expect a strong sentence, however it appears that the Maltese judicial system set out on a witch hunt to punish Tristan to the full extent of the law. After months in jail initially, then all sorts of wrangling against him, this family man fled, realising he would never see a fair trial. Why else would he wait tand continually return to court?

What a shame he was not dealing drugs or commiting corporate crimes, he would have received more leniency.

My prayers are with Tristan and his family

Haig Jacobs

Mike Hunt

Jan 31st 2010, 20:34

Nearly a 7 year wait and 4 year sentance equates to just about 11 year sentance...

Don't you think the man has suffered enough punishment already?

Such a draconian legal system has now removed a man from his young family / child for 4 years and forced a maltese girl to move away from her home land..

Shame on you Malta and especially all of you with your childish kung-fu comments.

How would you react if you had been in a car collision and more than 1 person came to confront you aggressive with a large rock??

Injustice for all!!!!

A. Grech

Jan 30th 2010, 22:08

I cannot comment on the case since i wasn't at the scene when this happened, but from what i read the physical damage amounted to the loss of some teeth and some stitches, i think a 4 year jail term was excessive, but i may be wrong.
Reading the comments of very informed contributors below i would like their expertise in the matter, I have some experience in martial arts and do have some questions which i would like an answer for: Should i ever be attacked by someone and there are no witnesses is it better to defend myself or let them have their way and hope there is no permanent damage?
In a different situation, should i come upon some one being roughed up in the street by some thug, or any other ill doing, is it better to try stop the wrongdoers and help the poor soul or should i be selfish and mind my own business, after all i wouldn't want to end up in jail for helping someone. Please enlighten me.

M Mizzi

Jan 30th 2010, 20:43

@edward Bartolo

"These bullies must be stopped. Now, may I suggest the courts to do the same with people abusing their artificially enhanced physical strength?"

its not wise to jump to conclusions, why call this man a bully ? the courts the decision is based on what one can prove and not what one knows to be true. In all probabilty, being a foreigner, the accused would have very few rescourses to activley defend himself from accusations made by a local against him. I doubt that the alleged victims would admit fault, if of course they had any fault in the matter.

also, the last part of your comment made no sense whatsoever, I refer to " artifially enhanced strenght" ........ do you live in a parallel universe???

Peter Bonnici

Jan 30th 2010, 16:04

@ Allan Gatt. How many times do we read that rapists get suspended sentences? or drug dealers serving just months (if anything at all)? Yes, imprisonment is a rarity here. My point was that for a magistrate to lay down 4 years must mean that she was swayed very convincingly.

@ Brian Farrugia. I never conducted a prison population survey, but you my be right. It does seem that foreigners get sent to jail more easily than locals. Maybe they're represented poorly, who knows?

A. Borg

Jan 30th 2010, 14:04

Ramona Rodenas Haynes ,
Can I ask you 3 questions,please?
Is it true that your partner is an ex-convict?
Is it true that when he was out on bail he left Malta?
Is it true that one of the injured person was a PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON?
I'll wait for your answer.

miriam borg

Jan 30th 2010, 12:09

1. it took seven years because he escaped from malta for years and he changed many lawyers including the very best and known lawyers

2. he hid his experience in martial arts (something that could be discovered ) so he is not trustworthy

3. if an accused does not undrstand maltese proceedings are held in english, and when a witness does not speak english the testimony will be translated at that very moment and then in the file there would be the translated version.

4. it happened even to me that during a traffic accident you'll find a bully who would try to fight with you since ur a women and he a man and let alone elderly people

5. a passer by who didn't know anyone of the parties involved and tried to help one of the elderly to get up was also attacked and that is very significant

Emanuel Borg

Jan 30th 2010, 09:08

Has anyone tried to read 'the truth' from the website Mr Costa pointed out? Whoever wrote it desparately needs a bit of help. To the writer - stick to the facts and leave the fiction/fantasy/crap out of it. You will have a better chance of convincing readers. It is impossible to understand. Trust me.

Pauline Abela

Jan 30th 2010, 02:52

@Mark Galea, How would they have known that he was a black belt? Do you think he was wearing it? They could have attacked him because there was one of him and two of them. I have personally seen and helped out an English tourist getting bashed by Maltese thugs. I was 13 at the time, ran away, got help and was then warned by the thugs to mind my own business in future. Thank you to Massimo Costa for sharing the website. There are two sides to a story. Not saying that he was wrong or right - very difficult to tell. I'm saying that a foreigner is normally on the back foot when in another country. What was the level of his understanding of the proceedings (in Maltese?), what was the quality of his legal representation? who did he know? who did the others know? Why would he be dumb enough to attack two locals in a foreign land? Four years for hurting someone? People get less for rape and murder. Sounds strange.

J. J. Borg

Jan 30th 2010, 01:38

The Maltese have always had two weights and measures: one set for Maltese and another for foreigners. Irrespective of your colour (although the darker you are the worse it gets) you can expect to be treated with a condescending attitude at best and outright discrimination at worst. That is why in spite of the fact that I miss my home country in many ways, I cannot bring myself to return and have my children grow up in such an insular society.

edward bartolo

Jan 29th 2010, 23:24

Well done goes to the courts!

These bullies must be stopped. Now, may I suggest the courts to do the same with people abusing their artificially enhanced physical strength?

james calleja

Jan 29th 2010, 18:55

I am so happy that he got four years. i only wish he got more but then the magistrate could only do what the law allows her to do.

Allan Gatt

Jan 29th 2010, 18:52

@Peter Bonnici: "Imprisonment is quite rare in Malta, let alone wrongful imprisonment." Most people who are in jail are there for something that shouldn't be illegal to being with (think drug abuse and drug procuring), or because they had no money and got railroaded by the 'justice system'. I don't know where you get your facts from, so please stop talking nonsense.

@Nick Borg: You are right, sir.

BTW, I've been there myself, and I know what road rage is all about. It's very real, and bad things can happen EASILY and in a FLASH. 'Elderly' or not, it was two against one, and had this guy not been able to defend himself, he might have been the one to be injured.

Thankfully, they cannot take away his skills from him. If someone tries anything on him in prison, their kneecaps might end up like the flamingo's, on the other side of their knees.

Brian Farrugia

Jan 29th 2010, 16:47

@Peter Bonnici:

'Imprisonment is quite rare in Malta, let alone wrongful imprisonment'.

You are joking aren't you?, the ratio of Maltese to foreigners in prison is far too high. As for the Maltese law courts and 'Truth'. I can bare witness to seeing on more than one occasion Maltese not just kissing the crucifix before giving evidence but nearly swallowwing it then proceeding to try to become the biggest liar on the planet.

Joseph A Borg

Jan 29th 2010, 16:02

he got 4 years for injuring two people yet the bouncer got what? 5 years for killing the immigrant?

So, the key feature here is who is Maltese and who a foreigner… the greek bouncer who killed the australian maltese got 30 years…

Justice must be blind … and dumb

Christopher Debattista

Jan 29th 2010, 14:54

About TIME ! Seba snin biex jiddeciedu, mbghad jtuh seba snin habs. M'ghawx justizzju xierqa f'dan il-pajjiz u jrid jkun ghaw biddla qawwijja !! L-aqwa xi bail out u nistghu naghmlu li rridu

charmaine formosa

Jan 29th 2010, 14:09

well done to the judge. After his sentence he should be deported.

colin stanley

Jan 29th 2010, 14:03

how badly were these two injured, to merit a 4 year jail sentence, then you get real show offs, who kill innocent people, while driving, and get a lousy suspended sentence, can someone please explain.

mark borg

Jan 29th 2010, 13:58

lil dan hadd mhu ha jkellmu fil-habs!

Therez Whebbe

Jan 29th 2010, 13:53

Malta loves its gossip and have nothing better to do but to put on this comments to a person they dont even know. I know the family personaly and when i see what this family is going through it is breaking my heart.

We are all human after all and i taught malta was a religous country LOL Look hereunder do those people sound religous to you?

Yosry Labib

Jan 29th 2010, 13:47

I was in shock to read people comments. When i visted Malta for a holiday I was surpised how the people drive their car on the road. They are wild.

Now that they are in the EU why they do not do there driving test more harder, and press on learning them safety on the road.

A comment said that UK hold loads of crime but in ratio to a dot on the map who have the most car accidents? In answer is you

Ramona Rodenas Haynes

Jan 29th 2010, 13:42

Malta treats foreigners like dirt. When I read the report on TheTimes of Malta website I honestly couldn't believe that they were talking about the same man that I have been for 10 years.Beds on Sunday will be running the story this Sunday about the sentencing and the background.

There is always 2 side of a story and you must hear both sides. I was there when it happened and Mr Attard threw me on a bonnett he raise hand on me what do you say about that and he is walking free. My partner havent done karate since he was a child. Are you telling me after 30 years of not doing karate all of a sudden you are a professional.

.Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD"

Jan 29th 2010, 13:32

"I have personally known Tristan for over 5 years and I firmly believe he was wrongly charged - he hasn't engaged in Kung Fu since he was 10 years of age and is a loving father and partner to his wife Ramona.This man has been Prosecuted for 7 years over this minor display of road rage. The Maltese court system is what should be on trial!! Disgusting.Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD"

Wayne Caruana

Jan 29th 2010, 13:30

"I i know Tristan for over 10 years, everyday we hear lesser charges for much much more, foreigners always get more baggage from the local authorities and thats a fact"

Edward Camilleri

Jan 29th 2010, 12:27

There is no place for such 'uncontrolled road rage' on these islands. Have enough already.

A road accident is enough traumatising, nobody need such childish fighting.

Peter Bonnici

Jan 29th 2010, 10:50

@ Trevor Lee. Imprisonment is quite rare in Malta, let alone wrongful imprisonment. He ought to appeal if he feels aggrieved by the decision. I suppose people want justice not vendetta. I wasn't there so cannot comment, but the fact that he even engaged a third party who tried to stop the fight does not help his cause. We'll see.

Trevor Lee

Jan 29th 2010, 10:39

When I first read this story I thought four years were not long enough.Then I learned of the 'other side of the story''
Having experienced 'Law' myself down at the 'Family Jamboree' on Republic Street I can read into this and believe that my fellow Englishman has been wrongly imprisoned.

Robert Borg

Jan 29th 2010, 10:10

It is the fact that he is a trained martial artist, that I find it too hard to believe that he engaged in a fight for nothing.

Also, it is fact that he is trained in this discipline, that I even find it hard to believe that he didn't act upon sheer self defence.

And to Mr Peter Bonnici, who joked about the situation in prison, and to those who found it funny, I would like to ask where their so called morals are. Prison abuse and rape is something which is universally condemned, yet, the authorities know about it, we know about it, and nothing is ever done, actually, we make fun of it.

Mark Galea

Jan 29th 2010, 09:34

@Nick Borg
you said "When the courts in Malta come to a conclusion, chances are its probably wrong..."

My friend, are you saying that "two elderly men, one significantly smaller than him in stature" attacked a black belt kung-fu figher? Why don't you say that he was as arrogant person that abused of his strength and martial abilities to hurt others? Now he got what he deserved.

E. Vella

Jan 29th 2010, 09:04

As I see it there are some inaccuracies here. The two men could be elderly now....in 2003 at least one was only 56....now we don't call that elderly do we?
It is also stated he engaged two men....so why are three mentioned?
Looks like it was one man with his wife and her elderly grandmother being bullied and possibly provoked by three men after a minor collision.
I would certainly use my kung -fu experience if confronted by three men........
Where is the truth?..............

Nick Borg

Jan 29th 2010, 05:50

To all you CATHOLICS out there wishing misery on another human being, think about this...

Anyone who knows the "efficiency!" of our police and the "remarkably efficient" way in which our justice system functions knows full well that whilst this man may well have struck out, he could very well have done so in self defence. Being foreign is unlikely to have brought him any help from the police and his two "victims" coul well have been his assailants.

Anyone who has been on our roads knows pretty well that road rage is common enough..

Do you trust the justice system well enough to believe that if you were in his situation, you would be receiving justice if you defended yourself from attack? If you do, well good luck if you ever have the misfortune to find yoursel there. If you don't, think twice before shooting off next time...
Just because you read it in the news doesnt mean its true. When the courts in Malta come to a conclusion, chances are its probably wrong...

Brian Gatt

Jan 29th 2010, 03:09

Martial arts?? Mela this thug should be deported immediately to help his fellows in their predicament Afghanistan or Iraq!

j grech

Jan 28th 2010, 23:56

BIG JOHN AND I GALEA,
i am english please accept my apologies for the behavior of one big english bully on behalf of all decent english people here on your island, but to say send him back and why should you pay taxes to keep him in prison is a bit silly really because for every british person in your jail we have 60 maltese in our english jails being paid for from the uk peoples taxes, many also in australia so would you like prisoner exchange? we take him and you take 60 to pay for instead, yes i and my countrymen agree that when in a host country behave or get out but that is not the way todays society do things, what is shameful is that people like this all over the world bring shame on their homeland,being married to a maltese i know how hard one works for his wages but the brits work for there`s as well so imagine how much of our tax goes to keep thousands of foreigners in our jails including maltese

Mark Scerri

Jan 28th 2010, 23:37

I know that there are 'road hogs' on Maltese roads . . . . . . but now we also have Kung Fu Pandas : )

steve abela

Jan 28th 2010, 22:54

bye bye ninja.

Joseph Schembri

Jan 28th 2010, 21:19

Why did this take 7 years? The man must have been punished enough during those 7 years. Why don't we have a list of magistrates and the length of time it takes them to deliver a judgment?

Claire Busuttil

Jan 28th 2010, 20:14

This is an abuse of this discipline, which is meant for self defence. At least the victim survived, not like many years ago, when my uncle died of such an act, in a similar situation(trying to break up a fight).

l borg

Jan 28th 2010, 19:57

HAVING DONE KARATE FOR 11 YEARS TRAINING AND DICIPLINE THOUGHT ME TO AVOID TROUBLE LET ALONE FIGHT OR ASSAULT OLDER PEOPLE
HOWEVER IN SOME SITUATIONS KARATE IS TO MY ADVANTAGE NOT DISADVANTAGE

c. camilleri

Jan 28th 2010, 17:46

Well done. A well deserved sentence.

Massimo Costa

Jan 28th 2010, 17:39

This guy has a website, where he (supposedly) gives his side of the story - www.tristanhaynes.info

cgaleto

Jan 28th 2010, 17:19

This is exactly the type of person that brings shame to British people,just another lout in the streets.
He is also a shame to the federation of Martial Arts.He should be striped of any qualifications.
Hopefully he'll find his match in jail, then he'll learn what's like to be on the other side of the stick.

Neil Sant

Jan 28th 2010, 17:07

These acts are dishonourable. Such a man can no more be called a martial artist than a street thug.

Lee Micallef

Jan 28th 2010, 17:07

Nearly 7 years later ?????????????????????

Karl Abela

Jan 28th 2010, 17:03

Well said Peter....although I dont believe that our prisons are half as dangerous as other prisons shown on TV in the USA.

Adrian Cardona

Jan 28th 2010, 16:53

one word for him....bziequ.

j galea

Jan 28th 2010, 16:45

4 years for injuring two people......
Suspended sentences for people that commit child abuse.....

Can someone explain to me logic behind the sentencing system in Malta? I must have got it wrong!

D. Scerri

Jan 28th 2010, 16:43

All together now:

"Everybody was Kung Fu fightin'...those cats were fast as lightnin'..."

joseph sciberras

Jan 28th 2010, 16:43

Well done :) Peter bonnici

g.c.Forte

Jan 28th 2010, 16:33

So this " Bruce Lee", first he injured Maltese citizens on our land, now he is going to hurt us all because we have to pay for his five years in our prison. Why not,instead of prison pays a large sum of money ( if he can afford ) and put him on a jet plane back to his country, on condition that he will be " persona non grata " and never to touch these islands again for as long as he lives.

Jesmond Micallef

Jan 28th 2010, 16:31

When did the subject matter of martial arts come up here ??? Not even a couple of weeks ago when I commented about bullying at SCHOOL !!!

Road Rage at its best !!!

Tristan Scott Haynes you have been sent to jail, do not stop anywhere, proceed directly to jail. You will be meeting people of your like there..............enjoy Kung Fu King Pin !!!!

How many people did this "thug" hurt ? David Shepherd, critically injured !! Reuben Briffa, Joseph Attard and Marianne Attard.

I hope that the injured will proceed for personal damages here too. !!!

lgalea

Jan 28th 2010, 16:25

The thing is will he be expelled for life from Malta after serving his sentence?

Mario Borg

Jan 28th 2010, 16:21

Maybe the next four years will help you achieve inner peace, grasshopper.

s sammut

Jan 28th 2010, 16:21

Surely not a serious "Kung Fu" fighter! Martial arts in general, and especially chinese martial art like Kung Fu is a self control and disepline, which must be only used for self-defence in extreme circumstances!
Kung - Fu is best for self control , fitness for the mind , body and spirit!

mark tanti

Jan 28th 2010, 16:18

ha Haaa tajba din, min jonqos issa haaaaaa

everybody was kung foo fightin, tralllllallla llllllllaaaaaaa. Ha .... their hands were fast like lightnin haaa...

J. Brownie

Jan 28th 2010, 16:17

If this 'bully' didn't get the full permissible term under law, I doubt whether justice was really serve though, 4 years behind the bar are not bad either.
Unfortunately, there are many like this persons roaming the Maltese roads, menacing people not only with reckless and dangerous driving but also with violence (note that the two traits are normally correlated) .
It about time they are thrown behind bars for many years

J. Baldacchino

Jan 28th 2010, 16:15

@Bonnici

That had me in fits, thanks :)

Peter Bonnici

Jan 28th 2010, 15:52

now he's got ample time and the right environment to practice his art, except now he'd better watch his back(side).