Jail term reduced on appeal

A man who had been jailed four years for injuring two men in a road rage frenzy today had his term reduced to three years on appeal.

Black belt kung-fu fighter Tristan Scott Haynes, 41, had been convicted for grievously injuring David Shepherd, 63, and Joseph Attard, 62, after a traffic accident on the Coast Road in Baħar Iċ-Ċagħaq.

Mr Haynes tried to overtake Mr Attard from the inner lane, stopping in front of him and blocking his path. He got out of his car and walked up to Mr Attard, who also started explaining that he had two disabled people with him in the car: Mr Shephard, who suffered from epilepsy, his wife Mary, her sister Pauline, who has Down’s Syndrome, and Mr Attard’s wife.

Mr Haynes hit Mr Attard in the eye, prompting Mr Shepherd to step out of the car to help his friend, who was sprawled on the bonnet.

Mr Haynes also hit Mr Shepherd several times and the latter passed out only to regain consciousness in hospital.

Judge Michael Mallia said that “considering the time factor and the fact that all parties made a full recovery and have got on with their lives, there should be a reconsideration of the punishment awarded”.

Stressing that the magistrate had been correct in all assessments, he said the case warranted a “mitigation of the punishment awarded to better reflect the actual situation governing the appellant in relation to the harm caused”.