The owner of a horse-drawn cab karozzin was fined €500 and had his licence disqualified for three months by a court, after he was found guilty of negligent driving and consequently injuring a tourist in Mdina.

The incident happened on August 16, when 35-year-old Oliver Schembri from Qormi was riding his karozzin at high speed through Triq San Pietru. The road was so narrow that it had no pavement to safeguard pedestrians from traffic.

Though the victim, Jocelyn Johnson, dashed to the side as soon as she saw the carriage approaching, her hand got stuck in it and was only released when the accused become aware of the incident. He then accompanied the victim for medical treatment at the Rabat health centre.

The woman ended up with a broken hand and filed a police report for insurance purposes two days. Nevertheless, the victim made it clear that she was not after the man’s dismissal from work, but her intent was to make him more aware of the perils of speeding in the narrow winding roads of the silent city.

Subsequently, the defendant was charged with negligent and dangerous driving, and causing grievous bodily harm.

On his part, the accused did not contradict the victim’s account and confirmed that a karozzin would only have a one-foot clearance on each side of the road, at the exact spot of the incident.

He told the court he kept speeding even after seeing the victim, who was in the company of some friends, as he feared that any attempt to stop in this inclined road would cause the horse to fall on the “slippery” paving.

In its decision, the court, presided by Magistrate Doreen Clarke, acquitted the man of dangerous driving but found him guilty of negligence as he did not wait for the victim to seek appropriate shelter by the side of the road.

While confirming that the defendant was speeding, it dismissed his argument that he could not slow down for fear that the horse would slip.

A person who was well acquainted with Mdina should expect pedestrians for the simple reason that it was very popular touristic site, the court said.

Consequently, the accused should have known that there could be circumstances in which he would have to stop the carriage.

The magistrate also pointed out that the defendant could have approached the road from the opposite direction, as by his own admission there would be no danger in braking going downhill.

Police inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted.