A man who waited 12 years for a court case to be decided was today awarded €1,000 in damages after a judge ruled that his fundamental human rights had been violated.

John A Said in his personal capacity and on behalf of “Hbieb ta’ l-Annimali” filed his constitutional application against the Attorney General.

He said that a court case had been filed against him by Vassallo Builders Group Ltd in October 1998. The company claimed that Mr Said owed it Lm6,480 being the price of construction works carried out at Manoel Island.

Mr Said had contested the claims and submitted that he only owed the company Lm3,850 for the works. The case was finally decided last October and Mr Said was ordered to pay the company €2,236.43 together with interest from October 1998.

In his constitutional application Mr Said said that the duration of this court case was in violation of his fundamental human right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time.

The court declared that it had examined the nature and complexity of the case and the actions of the parties to the suit. It found that this case had not been very complex and the delays were unjustifiable.

The court therefore found in favour of Mr Said and awarded him €1,000 in damages.