The Constitutional Court yesterday ordered the release of two cars driven by road menace Maximilian Ciantar but owned by his father Emanuel, after finding that the father’s rights were violated when the vehicles were confiscated.

The vehicles are a Peugeot Partner registered to Emanuel Ciantar on behalf of Maxkim Limited, and a Toyota Vitz personally owned by Emanuel Ciantar.

His son Maximilian had been driving the Peugeot Partner at 102km per hour when he hit and seriously injured 10-year-old twins Sarah Marie and Rebecca Marie Falzon as they crossed the road in Attard on April 28, 2010.

He was subsequently arraigned and convicted of causing the accident and of driving without a licence and insurance. He was imprisoned for two years but a 10-year-driving ban was reduced to six months on appeal and the court had also ordered confiscation of the vehicle.

In January 2012 Maximilian Ciantar was convicted of having violated the driving ban when he was found driving the Toyota Vitz in Ħamrun. The vehicle was seized by the police until all court proceedings were completed and then confiscated.

In the judgment given yesterday, the court found that there had been a violation of the first protocol of the European Human Rights Convention on the right to property since the owner was not given sufficient opportunity to contest the confiscation of the vehicles.

The court ordered that the vehicles be returned to Emanuel Ciantar and also ordered compensation of €300 to him and his company.

Maximilian Ciantar hit the headlines again last month after he was charged with damaging two cars, driving a car negligently and dangerously, driving while under a court ban and driving without a driving licence and insurance.

He was also accused of using vulgar language in public, threatening two people, breaching previous court sentences and disobeying police orders in Mater Dei Hospital.

According to evidence heard in court, Mr Ciantar had hit the side view mirror of a car while driving and then got out and argued with the driver before speeding off. The case is still pending.