Suspended sentence for speeding driver who killed man and injured woman and child

Peter Korsten

Apr 6th 2011, 23:49

Now I'm not calling for harsh punishments as a goal in itself, but I do wonder about the proportionality of punishments. If I import heroine or cocaine, that someone willingly puts in his veins or up his nose, I go to jail for at least 12 years. But if I drive in a dangerous manner and thereby kill another person, I get a suspended sentence. Somehow, that doesn't make sense.
I don't believe in the deterring effect: in the week following that terrible accident where five young people died in the back of a car, I saw two situations where people did incredibly stupid and dangerous things in regards to safety. People simply don't learn, or think it won't happen to them.
But the difference in punishment between one kind of offence and another is striking, and it would be a good thing for the judiciary if they explained this perceived discrepancy. The courts may be independent, but they're still part of society.

John Grima

Apr 6th 2011, 23:37

These are the same courts that throw the book at hapless teenagers who were caught with a splif.

Unbelievable!

P Brincat

Apr 6th 2011, 23:33

Another fatal accident caused by a drunk driver comes to mind. The one where cyclist Clifford Micallef was left dying on the tarmac in the early morning while exercising about 2 or 3 years ago, after being run over by a young drunk driver who was with his 17-year old girlfriend. The car driver drove home, leaving the victim dead on the road. Time is passing by, and we haven't heard anything about this case yet. Is this a tactic to let time pass and hope that people will forget about the horror of such a crime, so that then a very gentle sentence may be given to the criminal driver? If so, The Courts of Justice should review their name and change it to The Courts of Injustice.

c.t. busuttil

Apr 6th 2011, 22:51

Is it because our prisons are overcrowded?

J Brownie

Apr 6th 2011, 22:48

Who said that the cost of living in Malta is rising when life is so cheap !

Joseph N Attard

Apr 6th 2011, 22:28

Our court sentences are getting more and more incredible every day. But of course I have no legal training.

Roger Chenery

Apr 6th 2011, 22:12

This is pathetic, disturbing and unbelievable. No value whatsoever has been placed on a human life lost so unnecessarily and also no justice for the survivor and her son. The fact that this case has been allowed to drag on for nine years is also unjust, but this seems to be the norm in Malta for serious cases. Such a sentence sends out the wrong message and encourages crime whilst providing no justice whatsoever for the victim.

r.cutajar

Apr 6th 2011, 22:02

Clearly two stratas of society are alive and only one of them is kicking in these islands
WHY ?
Lady Justice; please proove to all and sundry that you do not harness any modern electronic listening devices where that blinfold cloth could so easily hide from us N vip public
Doubts of this nature are becoming too frequent and habits could quicly turn into cobwebs of untangabile nature ---Not far from the final knot
Gieh Ir Republika aspirators should shudder at such outcomes and really never stops wondering
Simply Flabergaassss-ted sorry but shame on you Parliament for procrastination of this magnitude for proper legislation

George Grech

Apr 6th 2011, 21:48

Bis Serjeta??
if facts are as reported this is most UNBELIEVABLE!!!

t. borg

Apr 6th 2011, 21:34

jekk wiehed ma jarax il-kaz kollu ma jistax jiggudika. ma naqbel xejn ma' min jipparaguna reat volontarju ghal wiehed involontarju. il-familja dejjem jistu jfittxu ghad-danni u hekk ghandu jsir. avolja ma nafx il-persuni involuti ninsab cert li din il-persuna ghaddiet minn trawma ukoll u cert li qatt ma xtaq li joqtol persuna haga li jibqgha jkaxkar ghal ghomru. min jisraq ghandu jmur il-habs ghax ghamel reat intenzjonament. qatt tahsbu li kaz bhal dan ma jitax jigri lil kullhadd jew personalment jew lil tal-familja. kieku kullhadd jitkellem differenti.

alfred curmi

Apr 6th 2011, 20:45

For killing a man, injuring two other human beings and apparently topping it all by giving false statements you get a suspended sentence.

AND I'VE JUST HEARD ON TVM NEWS THAT A GUY WAS GIVEN 6 MONTHS JAIL FOR HAVING KILLED A BIRD! (an eagle anyway).

Il-Huta min rasha tinten.

Michael Pace

Apr 6th 2011, 20:32

It's up to Parliament to discuss the whole question of sentencing, and, if necessary, change the law.

A Sammut

Apr 6th 2011, 20:26

Il-fatti f'dan l-artiklu jispjegaw ezatt ghalfejn fit-toroq Maltin, dawk keshin u irresponsabbli fis-sewqan, jibqghu jaghmlu li jridu minghajr xkiel ta' xejn. Ovvjament, dan il-kumment tieghi m'hu se jbiddel xejn ghal ahjar, imma jien xorta ktibtu.

Alex Bugeja

Apr 6th 2011, 18:36

I currently live in the USA. I don't mean to suggest that one country's justice system is better than another - but this sentence is totally ridiculous and disrespectful to the victims, who could now run into their assailant any day on the street and be forced to live with that. In Texas he would be looking at 20 years in prison - and up to 99 if alcohol was a factor.

S.Agius

Apr 6th 2011, 18:15

What a disgrace. Did he get a slap on the wrist too ? Shame on our soft justice.

Peter Paul Sacco

Apr 6th 2011, 18:03

Speeding, dangerous driving, killing a person and seriously injuring two others and, for good measure, lying under oath. What does he get? A suspended sentence. A desperate man found guilty of robbing five persons at ATM points was today jailed for five years. What sort of justice is this. As Ms Galea Xuereb said, quoting Orwell, "all animals.........." This is obsence and calls for an inquiry, Mr Minister.

Paul Barrett

Apr 6th 2011, 18:02

The article gave no reason for any delay in trial and the original offence took place in May 2002 - that is just coming up to NINE YEARS ago. Yes it is and was a serious offence but to take nine years to bring this case to trial, unless there is a very good reason for the delay, can hardly be called justice in a reasonable time. Punishment to fit the crime is great in theory but again nine years after the event, presumably waiting for justice to be implemented that theory verges on the border of vindictive cruelty. Yes, a suspended sentence is ridiculous for the crime but so again would a sentence 2 to five years in prison now be a ridiculous award nine years after the event.

G Psaila

Apr 6th 2011, 17:56

It was stated that "the couple’s versions did not reflect the truth and were false declarations given under oath."
So why applaud the guilty party by giving him a suspended sentence? False declarations should be punishable!! What a disgrace!

GiovDeMartino

Apr 6th 2011, 17:53

Wiehed kiel gurnata habs ghax ma xeghelx l-air conditioner!

Joseph Aquilina

Apr 6th 2011, 17:49

Justice takes a whole new meaning on these islands!!!

Vince Agius

Apr 6th 2011, 17:48

I was under the impression that April Fools Day was on 1st of April only......!!

George Debono

Apr 6th 2011, 17:46

Suspended sentence?

Life is cheap…

Some 5 years ago I was fined 70 Euros for driving with a windsurfer trailer with no number plate … (note, I didn’t kill anybody) – on the same day another guy was fined about 30 Euros for beating up his wife…

I mentioned this to the people at the council – and they shrugged their shoulders . It’s serious money that counts - like what they get from parking tickets.

Marianna Galea Xuereb

Apr 6th 2011, 17:41

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others" wrote George Orwell in his novel "Animal Farm".

D.Galea

Apr 6th 2011, 17:40

I am probably just too naive to get it, but having a relationship with a 16 and 17 year olds usually sends one to prison while reckless behavior which kills people normally frees them up on suspended sentences. What messages are being sent here? Both may be wrong yes but sorry while I don't condone sending people to prison on every reason possible and just locking them up while throwing the key away without rehabilitation, I still feel something is seriously wrong here.

GiovDeMartino

Apr 6th 2011, 17:38

U jien dejjem nippretendi li min jinqabad isuq eccessiv icapcpulu multa ta' 5000 ewro! Dan kiser il-ligijiet u l-kmandamenti kollha u....................

J.F. Vassallo Ebejer

Apr 6th 2011, 17:32

Obviously, the Court does not feel it has the obligation to justify such a silly sentence – after all us “peasants” are only here to pay their salaries (and all the perks that go with the job…).

Joseph Calleja

Apr 6th 2011, 17:17

So a life is worth a two year jail term suspended for two years and the suspension of his driving license for a year. What about the poor innocent injured child? How much is he worth? I hope that the courts come out with a clear conscience Only and I mean only in Malta..

M Pisani

Apr 6th 2011, 16:59

I can't understand why a thief has been given a 5 year jail sentence, and someone who took another person's life has been given a suspended sentence!!

t. borg

Apr 6th 2011, 16:57

naqbel hafna ma' suspended sentence ghal min ikun l-ewwel darba ghax kullhadd jizbalja imma dawn ghandhom ikollhom perjodu ta' validita' itwal.

J Mallia

Apr 6th 2011, 16:55

Suspended sentence...............for killing a man. Just unbelivable and sad.

K FARRUGIA

Apr 6th 2011, 16:52

fejn huma l pulizija tat traffic??l azzjoni qabel trid tittiehed, wara mid dehra kulhadd jiehu b dak li jkun ha. il problema principali ta l accidenti kollha li jsiru u li jirrizultaw f mewt jew f korrimenti hija biss l overspeeding. it tlielaq u l qzies bla bzonn fit toroq taghna jien narah kuljum u l hin kollu, allura nghid jien min suppost qed jara li dan ma jsirx huwa ghami???bir rispett kollu!

Kate Hudson

Apr 6th 2011, 16:48

Justice? What justice?

Chris Finch

Apr 6th 2011, 16:31

So not only has he shown no remorse but also lied about the circumstances.
He kills a man, injures a woman and child and walks away.

No wonder driving in Malta is so bad when the courts simply fail to realise the seriousness.

ALBERT FENECH

Apr 6th 2011, 16:22

I am sure that relatives of the deceased Charles Caruana will be more than gratified to know that the life of their beloved one was rated a mere "two year suspended sentence". Is this some kind of gradient to illustrate to us the "value" of a human life in Malta? If that is the case, the cost of a human life in Malta is very cheap, much cheaper in fact than that of all those currently dieing in Libya and the Ivory Coast!

A. Farrugia

Apr 6th 2011, 16:21

That's it?!?!?! We seriously need to revamp our laws. This is getting disgraceful. The facts point towards negligent driving and all this person gets is a suspended sentence and a licence suspension for a mere year!??!?! Come on, the more stories I hear like this one the worse the picture gets for Malta. This is another low point for our law(less) court system. Shameful.

Stevie Borg

Apr 6th 2011, 16:19

For comparison, in another case: "A man and a woman this morning pleaded guilty to stealing €3,000 worth of gold jewelly from a residence in Qormi. ... Mr Bugeja, who was charged by Police Insepctor Sandra Zammit, was jailed for a year while Donna Marie Stone, 18, of Cospicua, was jailed for one year suspended for two." On the one hand we have the theft of €3000. On the other manslaughter, seriously injuring a woman and a 3-year-old and perjury. Draw your won conclusions.

Frans Muscat

Apr 6th 2011, 16:19

Jien xi sentenza bhal din tinkwetani u mhux l-immigranti.

Charlene Bonnici

Apr 6th 2011, 16:17

Killing a person, injured another 2 and you get a suspended sentence. Shame!!!

Lorraine Vella

Apr 6th 2011, 16:16

U ejja!!! is this for real? Just a suspended sentence????

C Grech

Apr 6th 2011, 16:16

Tal-Biki.

martin saliba

Apr 6th 2011, 16:11

Cool , so no i can go and crash into and kill anybody that i have a grudge against. Two years jail suspended for two years , i can live with that .

R.Azzopardi

Apr 6th 2011, 16:11

Bis serjeta??????????? Ma nafx nibkiex jew nidhak!! Daqshekk tiswa il hajja tal bniedem.

M. Agius

Apr 6th 2011, 16:09

So...
this guy drives on the wrong side of the road, at excessive speed, killing a man, injuring a woman and child AND commits perjury and the wisdom of our courts awards him a suspended sentence.

Spiru Sant

Apr 6th 2011, 16:06

Life is cheap in Malta :(