A man who led police on an hour-long car chase from Salina to Naxxar after being spotted using his mobile phone while driving was handed a suspended sentence today. 

32-year-old Owen Cucciardi was driving his Mitsubishi Pajero in a dangerous and reckless manner while using his phone by Kennedy Grove at 6.15am in March 2015, a court heard. 

Ignoring a police officer's signal to stop, the accused sped off in the direction of the Għarghur bypass with the police bike in tow. As the chase proceeded to San
Ġwann, the Rapid Intervention Unit were alerted and asked to intervene.

Mr Cucciardi raced past the Halland Hotel in Ibraġġ as sirens from a police bike and an RIU vehicle wailed, swerved suddenly into St Paul's Street, Naxxar close to Villa Arrigo and eventually stopped near the ex-Trade Fair Grounds in Naxxar. 

The daring driver was accused of reckless and dangerous driving, of having exceeded legal speed limits and of having refused to obey police orders. He was also accused of having attempted to cause serious bodily harm to a police officer when, after making a u-turn in St Paul's Street, Naxxar, he narrowly avoided the mounted police officer who swerved aside just in time.

In fact, Mr Cucciardi crashed into the RIU vehicle, tearing away its front bumper, before speeding off in the direction of the Trade Fair grounds.

This movie-like car chase lasted over an hour, with the accused speeding at around 90km/h in an attempt to give the police bike and car the slip, the court heard.

The court, presided by magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, observed that the accused had several past convictions for dangerous driving and offences against police officers.

The court was not impressed by the accused's claim that the roads were slippery on that eventful morning, causing him to skid and crash into the police car.

"As soon as I saw the police I was scared........whenever I catch sight of a uniformed police I am afraid," declared the accused.

The court found the man guilty of the charges and condemned him to a prison term of 15 months suspended for 3 years. The court also imposed a fine of €1350 and disqualified the accused from driving for one year.

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