A man yesterday pleaded guilty to crashing into Transport Minister Joe Mizzi’s car in July, in a court sitting that came a day after a similar incident involving another minister’s vehicle (see left story).

Renald Hayman, 32, from Senglea, had his driving licence suspended for three months and was fined €150 for ramming Mr Mizzi’s electric Renault in Kalkara at around 4.15pm on July 13 and then driving off.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard that Mr Hayman was racing with another car when he crashed into Mr Mizzi as the minister was turning into Triq Ix-Xatt tal-Kalkara. He was in the wrong lane and braked but it was too late to avoid the collision. He reversed, turned the car around and drove away, the court heard.

The police later found Mr Hayman having a drink at the Senglea Gunners Club. He immediately admitted his involvement but denied he was racing.

He also told police that he drove off because he panicked.

Mr Hayman pleaded guilty to dangerous and negligent driving, failing to keep a proper lookout and to driving away from the scene of the accident.

Police Inspector Robert Said Sarreo prosecuted while lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the accused.

Mr Hayman was jailed for a year in September after pleading guilty to tying up his girlfriend and locking her in a room for hours out of fear that she would run off with another man.

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