Stephen Smith, the man whose car was allegedly shot at by the driver of former Home Affairs Minister, was today charged with damaging the minister’s car and driving while under the influence of alcohol.
Mr Smith is pleading not guilty to breaching several traffic regulations as well as threatening a police officer on duty on November 19.
Today Superintendent Alexandra Mamo, stationed at the Sliema police station, said that on November 19 at about 9.11pm she was informed that there had been accident involving the driver of Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia.
She was told it was a hit and run and that the driver - PC Paul Sheehan – fired two shots and Rapid Intervention Unit officers had arrested the person involved.
It turned out that this person, Mr Smith, was taken to the Sliema police station and his car was to be taken to the police garage. She gave instructions not to move the car but, when she arrived on site near the tunnel close to the Msida skate park, the car was already on the police low loader.
Mr Smith was taken to the St Julian’s police station where he refused to take a breathalyser test. Later, at the Msida police station, he took the test that marked positive.
Mr Sheehan, she said, said he was at his mother's house in Gzira when he heard a loud noise and a neighbour told him a car hit the minister’s car and drove off.
He said he grabbed the gun and gave chase to the car. When the car stopped Mr Smith had a bottle in his hand. He then got back into car and drove off so he fired two shots at Mr Smith and gave chase until they stopped at the tunnels, Mr Sheehan told police.
In his statement, released the following day, Mr Smith said he had been drinking - wine and beer - at Black Gold bar. Later, as he was driving home, he miscalculated and hit a car. He stopped further down the road, in Edgar Bernard Street, to ascertain the damage.
Mr Smith insisted he never knew Mr Sheehan was a police officer. He fled the scene when Mr Sheehan brandished the gun.
Ms Mamo said that PC127 told her that a green bottle was found in Mr Smith's car by an RIU officer. She did not see the bottle.
PC Clyde Agius said that RIU officer PC1214 gave him a bottle of Heineken with some liquid inside it and a mobile which he said he lifted from Mr Smith’s car. The bottle was wrapped in paper often used by the police and he gave it to the scene of crime officers.
PS David Sant, based at the Sliema police station, said that on the night in question Mr Smith had red eyes, stammered and looked agitated and he smelt alcohol on his breath.
During cross examination Mr Sant said that, at the time, he was not aware Mr Smith had been fired at and was just told it was a hit and run.
Sergeant Sandro Mangion said that while police officers were searching the area close to Nikol Cottonera Street – where Mr Sheehan claimed he stopped Mr Smith’s car - a woman went out of a house and gave police a piece of plastic which was part of the broken mirror of the minister’s car
The woman was Mr Sheehan’s mother who said she had collected the plastic from the road.