The driver of the car involved in a fatal accident that claimed the life of a young law student early on New Year’s Day in Gozo had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit, a court heard yesterday.

Court expert Michael Refalo, appointed to take a blood sample and test it for the presence of alcohol, said there were 115mg of alcohol per decilitre in Terrence Tanti’s blood. The legal limit is 80mg.

The sample was taken at 7.45am, four hours after the crash.

He was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Mr Tanti, 22, from San Ġwann, who stands charged with the involuntary homicide of Matthew Meilak, 22.

The fatality happened at about 3.45am on New Year’s Day in Rabat Road, Nadur, when five friends were returning home after attending a private party at a farmhouse. The car smashed into a wall and an electricity pole at the second bend in the long road leading to Victoria.

Another court expert, Bridgette Ellul, who conducted the autopsy, said the victim had a “massive head injury”, fractured skull and ruptured aorta.

Coronato Grech, a doctor who serves at the Gozo Hospital’s emergency department, said he accompanied the ambulance to the scene of the accident. When he arrived he found “a smashed car” and the victim lying face up close to the vehicle. Mr Meilak was certified dead on site.

The defence asked the court to modify Mr Tanti’s bail conditions, because he was precluded from speaking to his friends, though the persons in question had already testified

Dr Refalo, who also works at the hospital, said he had examined Mr Tanti, who sustained no injuries, and passenger Miguel Camilleri, who fractured his right forearm and pelvis, damaged a bone in his lower back, suffered broken ribs, had air around his lung, contusions to his lungs and a laceration on his bladder.

Jacqueline Busuttil, from Enemalta’s finance section, testified before before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli that the damage to the electricity pole cost just under €1,200.

Max Xuereb, who had been appointed by the inquiring magistrate to take photographs of the crash site, said that when he arrived at 3.55am it was not raining but it started to rain soon after.

At the end of the sitting, defence lawyer Joe Giglio asked the court to modify his client’s bail conditions, because Mr Tanti was still precluded from speaking to his friends and university colleagues, since one bail condition banned him from communicating with witnesses. The lawyer noted the people in question had already testified.

The magistrate has still to decide. Police Inspector Frank Tabone prosecuted.

The case continues next month.