Company director, driver, jailed for mini-bus incident - girl still suffering injuries

A company director and the driver of a van from which a schoolgirl fell in 2003 were today each jailed for six months for negligence.

Schoolgirl Daliborka Vrhovac, aged 13, suffered grievous injuries when the rear door of a tail-van opened suddenly and she fell off the vehicle on the Regional Road on October 9, 2003, at about 3 p.m.

As a result of the incident she spent a month in hospital. She suffered fractures, disfigurement, loss of all her teeth, spinal injuries and a partial loss of hearing.

The court found that the girl had been standing in the van because it was overloaded.

The schoolchildren told the court said that there were 26 students in the van - which was registered to carry not more than 10 passengers.

They said that the driver had been using a mobile phone, although he was not speeding. At one time the children were thrown back and the rear door opened.

The court found that Emanuel Zarb, director of Zarb Coaches Ltd, was the person who had dispatched the van to collect the 26 schoolchildren. The van was inadequate for the purpose because it was too small and not suitably licensed and insured.

In such cases, the court said, the fine was not a sufficient deterrent and it was therefore jailing him for six months and suspending his driving licence for a year after his release from prison.

With regard to the driver, Cedric Sciberras, of Birkirkara, the court said he had allowed onto his mini-bus more than twice the number of passengers which the van was licensed for.

He too was jailed for six months and had his licence suspended for a year after his release.