A drug trafficker at the centre of the bribery case against former judge Ray Pace yesterday filed an appeal asking for his 18-year prison sentence to be declared null.

Darren Desira, 37, from Żebbuġ, hit the headlines last week when it emerged that another man, Raymond Caruana,to whom Mr Desira allegedly owes €100,000, bribed the judge to exert influence and lengthen his jail term before it was handed down.

Mr Caruana and another man, Sandro Psaila, stand charged with bribing the judge, while the judge has been charged with bribery, trading in influence and money laundering in a separate case. Mr Psaila is also facing charges of drug trafficking.

Besides his hefty jail term, Mr Desira was also fined €46,000 after he admitted to conspiring to import two kilograms of cocaine in 2002.

Mr Desira’s sentence was not delivered by Dr Pace but by Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano, who is not implicated but is expected to testify in January.

Notwithstanding this case, however, defence lawyer Giannella de Marco, who filed the appeal, said: “When the sentence was given we were indignant, upset and completely surprised because it was far too high.”

She pointed out that the appeal had been mainly ready when the bribery case emerged.

After that development, however, the defence team took note and are now asking for the proceedings to be declared null as a result.

Dr de Marco described the sentence as “completely disproportionate” especially when Mr Desira’s co-accused, who were caught red-handed and were facing higher penalties, got lighter punishments. John Sultana, 48, of Xagħra was jailed for 14 years and fined €51,246, while Joseph Borg, 49, of Ġzira was imprisoned for 13 years and fined €46,587.

In the proceedings against Dr Pace, it was revealed that 79 phone calls were recorded between Mr Psaila, Mr Caruana and the judge. The court heard how Dr Pace used to demand free meals at a restaurant partly owned by Mr Psaila.

In fact, it was a source of tension between Mr Psaila and his business partner, Paul Galea, the chef. In a phone call intercepted by the security services, Mr Galea was heard telling Mr Psaila that he was fed up with the judge turning up to eat and then not paying for the meals.

Mr Psaila tried to blame Mr Galea for the problems, because he had once invited him to have a drink, but Mr Galea threw the blame back at him and said it was Mr Psaila that the judge had done a favour for.

In other testimony, the court heard how CCTV cameras had been installed at the judge’s house and paid for by Mr Caruana. It was also alleged that car repairs on the Mini Cooper belonging to Dr Pace’s wife had been taken care of by Mr Caruana.

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