The relatives of a 52-year-old man who died in a traffic accident two years ago told a court they would be satisfied if the young man who caused the crash got a suspended jail term so long as he continued his drug rehabilitation.

After taking note of this, as well as other factors, Magistrate Doreen Clarke sentenced 24-year-old Keith Cassar, of Birkirkara, to a two-year jail term suspended for four years.

Mr Cassar admitted to involuntarily causing the death of Joseph Portelli and driving recklessly and under the influence of drugs or alcohol on March 26, 2013, at 6.45am in Santa Venera.

As reported in the media on the day, Mr Portelli was driving his Toyota Vitz along St Joseph High Road in the direction of Fleur-de-Lys.

According to people on the scene, Mr Portelli swerved and crashed into the aqueduct to avoid an oncoming BMW, driven by Mr Cassar, which was overtaking two cars. Two days after the accident Mr Portelli succumbed to his injuries.

Magistrate Clarke heard Mr Cassar’s probation officer explain that, at the time of the accident, he had a drug addiction problem but was working to overcome it and there had been “positive changes in his life”.

“The court also took into consideration the submissions made by the parte civile that, once the accused was rehabilitating himself and, as long as he started the treatment he needed, they were satisfied with a suspended jail term,” the magistrate ruled.

She also noted that Mr Cassar had a clean criminal record as well as the serious nature of the case. She gave him a two-year jail term suspended for four years, placed him under a supervision order for four years and banned him from driving for a year.

Lawyer Mark Vassallo represented Mr Cassar while lawyer Katia Mercieca appeared in parte civile.